though they were able to so terrify their victims that the latter have kept silence, and the authorities have been unable to obtain any testimony from them.

While thus putting under contribution those persons in the neighborhood who had purchased lands of the National domain, these brigands carefully explored the forest of Chesnay which they selected as the theatre of their crime.

Not far from this forest is the village of Louvigney.  An inn is kept there by the brothers Chaussard, formerly game-keepers on the Troisville estate, which inn was made the final rendezvous of the brigands.  These brothers knew beforehand the part they were to play in the affair.  Courceuil and Boislaurier had long made overtures to them to revive their hatred against the government of our august Emperor, telling them that among the guests who would be sent to them would be certain men of their acquaintance, the dreaded Hiley and the not less dreaded Cibot.

Accordingly, on the 6th, the seven bandits, under Hiley, arrived at the inn of the brothers Chaussard, and there they spent two days.  On the 8th Hiley led off his men, saying they were going to a palace about nine miles distant, and asking the brothers to send provisions for them to a certain fork in the road not far distant from the village.  Hiley himself returned and slept at the inn.

Two persons on horseback, who were undoubtedly Rifoel and the woman Bryond (for it is stated that this woman accompanied Rifoel on these expeditions on horseback and dressed as a man), arrived during the evening and conversed with Hiley.

  The next day Hiley wrote a letter to the notary Leveille, which
  one of the Chaussard brothers took to the latter, bringing back
  his answer.

  Two hours later Rifoel and the woman Bryond returned and had an
  interview with Hiley.

It was then found necessary to obtain an axe to open, as we shall see, the cases containing the money.  The notary went with the woman Bryond to Saint-Savin, where they searched in vain for an axe.  The notary returned alone; half way back he met Hiley, to whom he stated that they could not obtain an axe.

Hiley returned to the inn, where he ordered supper for ten persons; seven of them being the brigands, who had now returned, fully armed.  Hiley made them stack their arms in the military manner.  They then sat down to table and supped in haste.  Hiley ordered provisions prepared to take away with him.  Then he took the elder Chaussard aside and asked him for an axe.  The innkeeper who, if we believe him, was surprised, refused to give one.  Courceuil and Boislaurier arrived; the night wore on; the three men walked the floor of their room discussing the plot.  Courceuil, called “Confesseur,” the most wily of the party, obtained an axe; and about two in the morning they all went away by different