ir, and
that his habits were becoming more sedentary. The chase was still his
favorite pastime, but he frequented less places of questionable repute,
seldom slept away from home, and seemed to take greater pleasure in
remaining under his own roof. The cause of this change was ascribed
by some to the advance of years creeping over him; others, more
perspicacious, verified a curious coincidence between the entrance of a
new servant in the chateau and the sudden good behavior of Claude.

This girl, a native of Aprey, named Manette Sejournant, was not,
strictly speaking, a beauty, but she had magnificent blonde hair, gray,
caressing eyes, and a silvery, musical voice. Well built, supple as an
adder, modest and prudish in mien, she knew how to wait upon and cosset
her master, accustoming him by imperceptible degrees to prefer the
cuisine of the chateau to that of the wine-shops. After a while, by dint
of making her merits appreciated, and her presence continually desired,
she became the mistress of Odouart de Buxieres, whom she managed to
retain by proving herself immeasurably superior, both in culinary skill
and in sentiment, to the class of females from whom he had hitherto been
seeking his creature comforts.

Matters went on in this fashion for a year or so, until Manette went
on a three months' vacation. When she reappeared at the chateau, she
brought with her an infant, six weeks old, which she declared was the
child of a sister, lately deceased, but which bore a strange likeness
to Claude. However, nobody made remarks, especially as M. de Buxieres,
after he had been drinking a little, took no pains to hide his
paternity. He himself held the little fellow at the baptismal font,
and later, consigned him to the care of the Abbe Pernot, the curate of
Vivey, who prepared the little Claudet for his first communion, at the
same time that he instructed him in reading, writing, and the first
four rules of arithmetic. As soon as the lad reached his fifteenth year,
Claude put a gun into his hands, and took him hunting with him. Under
the teaching of M. de Buxieres, Claudet did honor to his master, and
soon became such an expert that he could give points to all the huntsmen
of the canton. None could equal him in tracing a dog; he knew all the
passes, by-paths, and enclosures of the forest; swooped down upon the
game with the keen scent and the velocity of a bird of prey, and never
was known to miss his mark. Thus it was that the