good man. He has found a splendid
place at Guerigny for you. You will have a better salary there than
here, and "--here Rondic hesitated, glanced at the irresponsive face
of the youth, then at his daughter and at his wife, as if at a loss to
finish his phrase.

"And, it is better to go away, uncle, than to be dismissed!" answered
Chariot, roughly. "But I do not agree with you. If the Director does not
want me, let him say so,--and I will then look out for myself!"

"He is right!" cried Labassandre, thumping loud applause on the table. A
hot discussion now arose; but Chariot was firm in his refusal.

Zenaide did not open her lips, but she never took her eyes from her
stepmother, who was busy about the table.

"And you, mamma," said she at last, "is it not your opinion that Chariot
should go to Guerigny?"

"Certainly, certainly," answered Madame Rondic, quickly, "I think he
ought to accept the offer."

Chariot rose quickly from his chair.

"Very well," he said, moodily, "since every one wishes to get rid of
me here, it is easy for me to decide. I shall leave in a week; in the
meantime I do not wish to hear any more about it."

The men now adjourned to a table in the garden, neighbors came in, and
to each as he entered Rondic offered a measure of wine; they smoked
their pipes, and talked and laughed loudly and roughly.

Jack listened to them sadly. "Must I become like these?" he said to
himself, with a thrill of horror.

During the evening Rondic presented the lad to the foreman of the
workshops. Labescam, a heavy Cyclops, opened his eyes wide when he saw
his future apprentice, dressed like a gentleman, with such dainty white
hands. Jack was very delicate and girlish in his appearance. His curls
were cut, to be sure, but the short hair was in crisp waves, and the
air of distinction characteristic of the boy, and which so irritated
D'Argenton, was more apparent in his present surroundings than in his
former home. Labescam muttered that he looked like a sick chicken.

"O," said Rondic, "it is only the fatigue of his journey and these
clothes that give him that look;" and then turning to his wife, the good
man said,

"You must find a blouse for the apprentice; and now send him to bed, he
is half asleep, and to-morrow the poor lad must be up at five o'clock!"

The two women took Jack into the house: it was small and of two stories,
the first floor divided into two rooms--one called the parlor, which had
a sofa