u, there are a great many cowardly people--do you not think so?"
she returned naively.

He really smiled then, and gave several emphatic nods at her youthful
discrimination.

"And you think you will not run away any more?"

"No, Monsieur, because--it is wrong."

"Then we must excuse you."

"Thank you, Monsieur. I wanted you to know. Now I can feel light
hearted."

She made a pretty courtesy and half turned.

"If you did not mind I should like to hear something about your Monsieur
St. Armand, that is, if you are not in a hurry to get home to your
dinner."

"Oh, Pani will wait."

She told her story eagerly, and he saw the wish to please this friend
who had shown such an interest in her was a strong incentive. But she
had a desire for knowledge beside that. So many of the children were
stupid and hated study. He would watch over her and see that she
progressed. This, no doubt, was the friend M. Loisel had spoken of.

"You have been very good to me, M'sieu," she said with another courtesy
as she turned away.

Several days had elapsed before she saw Marie again, for Madame De Ber
rather discountenanced the intimacy now. She had not much opinion of the
school; the sisters and the priests could teach all that was necessary.
And Jeanne still ran about like a wild deer, while Marie was a woman.

On Sunday Antoine Beeson came to pay his respects to Madame, the mamma.
He surely could not be considered a young girl's ideal,--short, stout,
red-faced from exposure to wind and water and sun, his thick brown hair
rather long, though he had been clean shaven the evening before. He wore
his best deerskin breeches, his gray sort of blouse with a red belt, and
low, clumsy shoes with his father's buckles that had come from France,
and he was duly proud of them. His gay bordered handkerchief and his
necktie were new for the occasion.

Monsieur De Ber had satisfied himself that he would make a good
son-in-law.

"For you see there is the house all ready, and now the servant has no
head and is idle and wasteful. I cannot stand such work. I wish your
daughter was two or three years older, since I cannot go back myself,"
the admirer exclaimed rather regretfully.

"Marie will be fifteen in the spring. She has been well trained, being
the eldest girl, and Madame is a thrifty and excellent housekeeper. Then
we all mend of youth. You will have a strong, healthy woman to care for
you in your old age, instead of a decrepit body to b