hat "some one" Pere Michaux.
She too then went hurriedly homeward, by the back way, in order to avoid
him. The old priest, coming in, found the house deserted. Anne was on
her knees in her own room, sobbing as if her heart would break; but the
walls were thick, and he could not hear her.

Then Tita came in. "Annet is going away," she said, softly; "she is
going to school. The letter came to-day."

"So Miss Vanhorn consents, does she? Excellent! excellent!" said Pere
Michaux, rubbing his hands, his eyes expressing a hearty satisfaction.

"When will you say 'Excellent! excellent!' about me?" said Tita,
jealously.

"Before long, I hope," said the priest, patting her small head.

"But are you sure, mon pere?"

"Well, yes," said Pere Michaux, "on the whole, I am."

He smiled, and the child smiled also; but with a deep quiet triumph
remarkable in one so young.

CHAPTER VII.

"To all appearance it was chiefly by Accident, and the grace of
Nature."--CARLYLE.

It was still September; for great sorrows come, graves are made and
turfed over, and yet the month is not out. Anne had written her letter
immediately, accepting her grandaunt's offer, and Pere Michaux gave her
approval and praise; but the others did not, could not, and she suffered
from their silence. It made, however, no change in her purpose; she went
about her tasks steadily, toiling all day over the children's clothes,
for she had used part of the money in her hands to make them
comfortable, and part was to be given to Miss Lois. Her own garments
troubled her little; two strong, plain black gowns she considered amply
sufficient. Into the midst of all this swift sewing suddenly one day
came Rast.

"Why did I do it?" he said, in answer to everybody. "Do you suppose I
was going to let Annet go away for a whole long year without saying even
good-by? Of course not."

"It is very kind," said Anne, her tired eyes resting on his handsome
face gratefully, her sewing for the moment cast aside. Her friends had
not been overkind to her lately, and she was deeply touched by this
proof of attachment from her old playmate and companion. Rast expressed
his affection, as usual, in his own way. He did not say that he had come
back to the island because he wished to see her, but because he knew
that she wished to see him. And Anne willingly agreed. Dr. Gaston, as
guardian of this runaway collegian, gave him a long lecture on his
escapade and its consequ