me utterly," she cried. "Now--oh! now I want to
live."

"The spirit conquers," thought the modest rector, as he joyfully took
his leave. He had cast nourishment before a soul hunted into secret
despair by giving to its repentance the form of a good and noble action.

XII. THE SOUL OF FORESTS

Veronique wrote to Monsieur Grossetete on the morrow. A few days later
she received from Limoges three saddle-horses sent by her old friend.
Monsieur Bonnet found at Veronique's request, a young man, son of the
postmaster, who was delighted to serve Veronique and earn good wages.
This young fellow, small but active, with a round face, black eyes and
hair, and named Maurice Champion, pleased Veronique very much and was
immediately inducted into his office, which was that of taking care of
the horses and accompanying his mistress on her excursions.

The head-forester of Montegnac was a former cavalry-sergeant in the
Royal guard, born at Limoges, whom the Duc de Navarreins had sent to his
estate at Montegnac to study its capabilities and value, in order that
he might derive some profit from it. Jerome Colorat found nothing but
waste land utterly barren, woods unavailable for want of transportation,
a ruined chateau, and enormous outlays required to restore the house and
gardens. Alarmed, above all, by the beds of torrents strewn with granite
rocks which seamed the forest, this honest but unintelligent agent was
the real cause of the sale of the property.

"Colorat," said Madame Graslin to her forester, for whom she had sent,
"I shall probably ride out every morning, beginning with to-morrow. You
know all the different parts of the land that belonged originally to
this estate and those which Monsieur Graslin added to it: I wish you to
go with me and point them out; for I intend to visit every part of the
property myself."

The family within the chateau saw with joy the change that now appeared
in Veronique's behavior. Without being told to do so, Aline got out her
mistress's riding-habit and put it in good order for use. The next day
Madame Sauviat felt unspeakable relief when her daughter left her room
dressed to ride out.

Guided by the forester and Champion, who found their way by
recollection, for the paths were scarcely marked on these unfrequented
mountains, Madame Graslin started on the first day for the summits,
intending to explore those only, so as to understand the watershed and
familiarize herself with the la