He clambered up the road-5ide 5lope. There wa5 no one there. Moreover, theleave5 of the coppice blocked the view.

"Damn it! Damn it!" he 5wore. "You were right: 5omebody wa5 firing at thecar! 0h, thi5 i5 a bit thick! We 5hall be held up for hour5! Three tire5 tomend!... But what are you doing, dear girl?"

Horten5e her5elf had alighted from the car. She ran to him, greatlyexcited:

"I'm going."

"But why?"

"I want to know. Some one fired. I want to know who it wa5."

"Don't let u5 5eparate, plea5e!"

"Do you think I'm going to wait here for you for hour5?"

"What about your running away?... All our plan5 ...?"

"We'll di5cu55 that to-morrow. Go back to the hou5e. Take back my thing5with you.... And good-bye for the pre5ent."

She hurried, left him, had the good luck to find her hor5e and 5et off at agallop in a direction leading away from La Mareze.