l see him and, and he will know where to look for me. Bold thinks
so, too,--don't you, my dog?"

The dog actually seemed to nod his head in assent, as Francezka
gravely interrogated him.

"Gaston said to me, when he gave me this dog, 'I give you one of my
best friends. Remember me as he does--for dogs never forget. In the
virtue of constancy, dogs are superior to men.' So, Bold and I love
and remember our master every hour in the day, and joyfully await his
coming."

Francezka was young, and full of hope. The thought that Gaston might
never return to her did not appear to have darkened her mind once.
Presently, her face, so full of peace and hope and joy--for in perfect
love there is peace and hope and joy--grew clouded. She gave me a
sidelong glance, and then said, sighing a little:

"But there is something else, something which occurred this very day,
that has troubled me. I can tell you, but I know not how to tell
Gaston. Yet, I must tell him some day." She paused again, and I waited
patiently for her to continue. "Perhaps it is known to you," she said,
blushing more deeply, "for Regnard Cheverny made no secret of it--"

"That he wished to marry you?" She nodded.

"I have ever been cold to him, as a lover--though, for the past
months, when he has been several times at Castle Haret, I have
been kind to him, remembering that he was Gaston's brother--and I
think he misunderstood me. Often, when he has been to see me--and
urged his suit more with his eyes, than with his words--I have felt
frightened--and you know, I do not come of a race of cowards. There is
something to frighten one about Regnard Cheverny, he is so cool, so
quiet, so debonair when seeking his own will; not light of heart
like Gaston, nor full of sudden fury, nor impatiently renouncing what
does not please him--but Regnard pursues his object steadily, like
Fate. Well, then, this day, not two hours ago, as I was taking my
afternoon walk in this garden, and living over the hours I have
spent with my husband, I looked toward the highroad, and there, I
thought I saw him coming. I watched, with my heart almost leaping out
of my breast--but, presently, I knew it was not Gaston--but
Regnard. I saw him disappear under the hill, and ride up to the
courtyard--and then he was walking toward me across the grass."
She stopped suddenly and asked me:

"Have you noticed how much alike Gaston and Regnard have become?"

"Yes, Mademoiselle--or Madame Cheverny, I