," said Jeanne.

"It's time," said Mr. Rougeant rising, "I am trembling all over
now." He had been shivering for the last quarter of an hour.

When he was half way up the stairs he called out: "Of course you
will wait till I come down again, I shall not be long Mr. ----."

"All right, Sir, don't hurry," answered Frank.

Left alone in the kitchen, the young man had time to examine the
room. He had never been in a farm-house before.

On one side, ranged along the wall, was an oblong table which was
bare. Above it, against the wall, was a shelf on which Frank could
discern three or four big home-made loaves of bread.

On the opposite side, was a deal dresser on which were ranged
saucers and plates, while cups and mugs were hung upon nails driven
into the edge of the shelves; He was in the midst of his examination
when someone entered the house by a back door. "Is it the girl of
whom Mr. Rougeant spoke?" he wondered. Then he pictured her to
himself: a tall overgrown country-lass, with hands like a working
man's, and feet! well, one might just as well not think about them,
they were repulsively large; it was a blessing that they were hidden
from view.

He was in the midst of his imaginations when Adele Rougeant stepped
into the kitchen. On perceiving Frank she was a little astonished,
but soon recovered her self-control and assumed a well-bred smile.

The young man immediately hastened to explain the cause of his
presence. He was greatly astonished. Here, then, was the corpulent
country-girl his imagination had fancied! Before him stood a young
lady altogether different to anything he had pictured her to be. "A
girl of about seventeen," he tells himself, but later on he
discovered that she was one year older than that; plainly, but well
dressed. Her gown fitted her slender form to perfection. Every
detail in her dress was arranged with such taste, her small shoes,
the exquisite lace round her throat and such a charming face peeping
out of it all. She was not beautiful, but she was pretty and
attractive, she opened her mouth when she smiled as well as when she
spoke.

"Pray be seated," said the young lady to Frank who had risen on her
approach.

Frank sat down, quite confused and ready to run out of the room. He
felt very timid, so far, as to be uncivil; in the presence of Adele.
A young man who has spent most of his time alone, studying, will be
timid when he meets a representative of the softer sex.

He scarc