Nepeese straightened suddenly, like a reed that has been caught by thewind.

"Non!" she cried, so fiercely that Pierrot laughed, and rubbed hishands.

So it happened that on the second day after the fox hunter's visitPierrot left for Lac Bain, with Nepeese in the door waving him good-byeuntil he was out of sight.

0n the evening of this same day Bush McTaggart rose from his bed whileit was still unlit. The time had come. He had hesitated at murder--atthe killing of Pierrot; and in his hesitation he had found a much betterway. There could be no escape for Nepeese.