And then he found himself challenged almost at once by a woman's voice.
"It is you, Andre--at last!" He drew rein, mildly surprised, to be assailed by another question, impatiently, anxiously asked.
"Where have you been ?" "Where have I been, Cousin Aline?
Oh...

seeing the world." "I have been patrolling this road since noon to-day waiting for you." She spoke breathlessly, in haste to explain.

"A troop of the marechaussee from Rennes descended upon Gavrillac this morning in quest of you.

They turned the chateau and the village inside out, and at last discovered that you were due to return with a horse hired from the Breton arme.

So they have taken up their quarters at the inn to wait for you.