cross the Pezerie outlook. A bell
tolled from Hanois Lighthouse.

Ellenor shivered, and cruel forebodings took hold of her. Then, all
at once, it was brilliant sunshine in her heart, for Dominic came
running down the valley and clasped her in his arms. With sobs and
passionate words of reproach and love, she asked him if it was true
he was going to marry Blaisette.

"Little silly child!" he said, with a laugh, "of course it is not
true! There was no thought of _my_ marriage when I led the cart. I
was just helping the cousin of Blaisette; one does not always
exactly keep to old customs."

Then she told him of Perrin and the smuggling; and he called her a
clever _garce_ for stopping Corbet's mouth. He was in the gayest and
most fascinating of moods, and Ellenor was in a heaven of joy, for
his caresses and words had never before been so tender. It was late
before they parted. He could not see her again for a few days, he
explained, as he had special business on hand.

The next day, when Ellenor was knitting outside Les Casquets, a
messenger arrived from Orvilliere. He brought an invitation to Jean
Cartier and to his wife and daughter, to attend the wedding of
Monsieur Dominic Le Mierre and Mademoiselle Blaisette Simon.

She stood up straight and tall to receive the blow. She did not
flinch. Only her face was grey as ashes; and her large eyes looked
like those of a hunted animal, as she accepted the invitation for
her parents and herself.

The wedding was fixed for that day week, and all the parish, indeed
the two parishes of Saint Pierre du Bois and Torteval, were wild
with excitement. Hundreds of people were invited; and for days
before the ceremony the water lanes and marshes were visited by
bands of young people eager to gather the _gllajeurs_, or wild marsh
iris, to strew before the bride and bridegroom when they would leave
the church.

It was a lovely morning when Dominic stood before the altar in the
old church of Saint Pierre du Bois and vowed to love and cherish
fair Blaisette, a picture of sweet gentleness, and pretty coquetry
in her fair white bridal gown. But the sun was black and the sky was
lead to Ellenor, as she watched the bride and bridegroom walk down
the aisle together, man and wife, arm in arm. She could have touched
the bride, so close she stood to her as she passed; and Dominic's
eyes fell upon her with a stony stare. For a maddening moment,
Ellenor thought she would die. Then, her proud sp