“The prosecutor is right,” said Christian, whom these words delivered from a terrible anxiety.

After a deliberation, presided over by Monsieur de Camier, the ‘tragueurs’ and the dogs left in silence to surround the thickets where the animal had been found to be hidden.  At the same time the hunters turned their steps in the opposite direction in order to take their positions.  They soon reached the ditch alongside of which they were to place themselves.  From time to time, as they advanced, one of them left the party and remained mute and motionless like a sentinel at his post.  This manoeuvre gradually reduced their numbers, and at last there were only three remaining.

“You remain here, Camier,” said the Baron, when they were about sixty steps from the last position.

That gentleman, who knew the ground, was hardly flattered by this proposition.

“By Jove!” said he, “you are on your own grounds; you ought at least to do the honors of your woods and let us choose our own positions.  I think you wish to place yourself upon the outskirts, because it is always about that region that the animal first appears; but there will be two of us, for I shall go also.”

This determination annoyed Christian considerably, since it threatened to ruin the plan so prudently laid out.

“I am going to put our friend Gerfaut at this post,” said he, whispering to the refractory hunter; “I shall be very much pleased if he has an opportunity to fire.  What difference does one boar more or less make to an old hunter like you?”

“Well and good; just as you like,” retorted Monsieur de Carrier, striking the ground with the butt-end of his gun, and beginning to whistle in order to cool off his anger.

When the adversaries found themselves side by side and alone, Bergenheim’s countenance changed suddenly; the smiling look he had assumed, in order to convince the old hunter of his cheerful disposition, gave place to deep gravity.

“You remember our agreement,” he said, as they walked along; “I feel sure that the boar will come in our direction.  At the moment when I call out, ‘Take care!’ I shall expect you to fire; if, at the end of twenty seconds, you have not done so, I warn you that I shall fire myself.”

“Very well, Monsieur,” said Gerfaut, looking at him fixedly; “you also doubtless remember my words; the discovery of this body will give them still more weight.  The public prosecutor has already begun his preliminary proceedings; remember that it depends on me how they shall be completed.  The deposition which I spoke to you about is in the hands of a safe person, who is fully instructed to make use of it if necessary.”

“Marillac, I suppose,” said Christian, in an evil tone; “he is your confidant.  It is a fatal secret that you have confided to him, Monsieur.  If I survive today, I shall have to secure his silence.  May all this blood, past, present, and future, be on your head!”