The two newcomers were tall, stout, well-made young men, hard-featured, and very much sunburnt. They paid their compliments to us in few words, and acknowledged Claude, who now entered the room, as an old acquaintance. They then threw aside their cloaks in which they were wrapped up, took off a leathern belt to which a large cutlass was suspended, and each drawing a brace of pistols from his girdle laid them upon a shelf.

“You travel well-armed,” said I.

“True, Monsieur;” replied Robert. “We left Strasbourg late this evening, and ’tis necessary to take precautions at passing through this forest after dark. It does not bear a good repute, I promise you.”

“How?” said the Baroness; “Are there robbers hereabout?”

“So it is said, madame; for my own part, I have travelled through the wood at all hours, and never met with one of them.”