e. She would pine and die."

"I thought so once. I should have died sooner in the other life. It is
God and his holy Son who give grace."

"She will not forsake her duty to the one who has taken such kindly care
of her, the Pani woman."

"She can come, too. Give me my child, it is all I ask of you. Surely you
do not need her."

Her voice was roused to a certain intensity, her thin hands worked. But
it seemed to him there was something almost cruel in the motion.

"I cannot force her will. It is as she shall choose."

And seeing Jeanne all eager interest in the doorway of the old cottage,
he knew that she would never choose to shut herself out of the radiant
sunlight.

"Here is the old gift for you, my child;" and he clasped the chain with
its little locket round her neck.

Pani came and looked at it. "Yes, yes," she said. "It was on thy baby
neck, little one. And there are the two letters--"

"It was cruel to prick them in the soft baby flesh," the Sieur said,
smilingly. "I wonder I had the courage. They alone would prove my right.
And now there is no time to waste. Will you make ready--"

"I am not often asked among the quality," and her face turned scarlet.
"I have no fine attire. Wilt thou be ashamed of me?"

She looked so radiant in her girlish beauty, that it seemed to him at
the moment there was nothing more to desire. And the delicious archness
in her tone captivated him anew. Consign her to convent walls--never!

Mam'selle Fleury took charge of Jeanne at once and led her through the
large hall to a side chamber. Not so long ago she was a gay, laughing
girl, now she was a gravely sweet woman, nursing a sorrow.

"It was a sudden summons," she explained. "And we could not expect to
know just when the child grew into a maiden. Therefore you will not feel
hurt, that I, having a wider experience, prepared for the occasion. Let
me arrange your costume now. I had this frock when I was of your age,
though I was hardly as slim. How much you are like your father, child!"

"I think he was a little hurt that I had nothing to honor you with,"
Jeanne said, simply.

"Monsieur Loisel was saying that you needed a woman's hand, now that you
were outgrowing childhood."

She drew off Jeanne's plain gown; and though this was simple for the
fashion of the day, it transformed the child into a woman. The long,
pointed bodice, the square neck, with its bordering of handsome lace,
showing the exquisite throat sloping in