and her husband, M. Leconte,
the chief notary of the town, and a man well considered by all classes
of his townsmen. It is the old story of affections knotted together in
the skipping-rope, and proving to be as unending as the circle of the
hoop. My sister had a girl and a boy. The three children played
together, walked out with their nurses together, and were hardly ever
separated until the time came for Raoul to go to Paris to school. The
boy was fourteen when they parted, Jeanne was only eleven, but the two
children's love had so grown with their growth, that, before the day of
parting came, they had made a solemn little compact never to forget
each other.

'Eight years passed, during which Jeanne and Raoul saw little of each
other.

'The first time the boy came home, he seemed to Jeanne no longer a boy,
and the shyness which sprang up between them then deepened with each
succeeding year.

'The boy was allowed to choose his profession, and he chose that of
surgery. News reached Jeanne from time to time through his sister of
the promising young student, who, it was said, bid fair to win for
himself a great name some day.

'At the age of twenty-five Raoul left Paris. His parents, who were
growing old, wished their son near them, and steps were taken to
establish him in a practice in Caen.

'Time passed on, and Raoul had been six months in partnership with old
Dr. Grevin, whom he was eventually to succeed, when Mme. D'Alcourt fell
ill of inflammation of the lungs, and so it happened that the two young
people often met beside the sick-bed, for the elder partner was not
always able to attend the patient, and his young _aide_ was called upon
to take his place.

'By the time that Mme. D'Alcourt was well again, both the young people
knew that the old love of their childhood had smouldered in their
hearts through all the years of separation, and was ready to burst into
flame at a touch. But no word was spoken.

'It was Raoul's fond hope to be one day in a position to ask for Jeanne
as his wife, but he knew that by speaking before he was in that
position, he would only destroy all chance of being listened to by her
parents.

'The touch that should stir the flame soon came.

'One day in the summer following, a hasty summons from Mme. D'Alcourt
took Dr. Grevin to Jeanne's bedside, and a few moments' examination
showed him that the poor girl had taken diphtheria. After giving
directions as to the treatment to be fol