ity of the ramparts, which
ran parallel to it. The roofs of the tall houses almost met, the dark
passages were like the mouths of caverns, and more particularly so at
that end where rose the high college walls. Weiss, however, with
free quarters and free fuel on his third floor, found the location a
convenient one on account of its nearness to his office, to which he
could descend in slippers without having to go around by the street. His
life had been a happy one since his marriage with Henriette, so long the
object of his hopes and wishes since first he came to know her at Chene,
filling her dead mother's place when only six years old and keeping
the house for her father, the tax-collector; while he, entering the big
refinery almost on the footing of a laborer, was picking up an education
as best he could, and fitting himself for the accountant's position
which was the reward of his unremitting toil. And even when he had
attained to that measure of success his dream was not to be realized;
not until the father had been removed by death, not until the brother
at Paris had been guilty of those excesses: that brother Maurice to whom
his twin sister had in some sort made herself a servant, to whom she had
sacrificed her little all to make him a gentleman--not until then was
Henriette to be his wife. She had never been aught more than a little
drudge at home; she could barely read and write; she had sold house,
furniture, all she had, to pay the young man's debts, when good, kind
Weiss came to her with the offer of his savings, together with his heart
and his two strong arms; and she had accepted him with grateful tears,
bringing him in return for his devotion a steadfast, virtuous affection,
replete with tender esteem, if not the stormier ardors of a passionate
love. Fortune had smiled on them; Delaherche had spoken of giving Weiss
an interest in the business, and when children should come to bless
their union their felicity would be complete.

"Look out!" the servant said to Jean; "the stairs are steep."

He was stumbling upward as well as the intense darkness of the place
would let him, when suddenly a door above was thrown open, a broad belt
of light streamed out across the landing, and he heard a soft voice
saying:

"It is he."

"Madame Weiss," cried the servant, "here is a soldier who has been
inquiring for you."

There came the sound of a low, pleased laugh, and the same soft voice
replied:

"Good! good! I k