o aim at the
head. I had a pistol with an unusually stiff pull, and I am accustomed
to very easy ones, so that the resistance of the trigger caused me to
fire too high. No matter, it could not have gone very far off him. He
shoots well, too, the rascal. His bullet skimmed by my temple. I felt
the wind of it."

She was sitting on his knees, and holding him in her arms as though to
share his dangers. She murmured: "Oh, my poor darling! my poor darling!"

When he had finished his narration, she said: "Do you know, I cannot
live without you. I must see you, and with my husband in Paris it is not
easy. Often I could find an hour in the morning before you were up to
run in and kiss you, but I won't enter that awful house of yours. What
is to be done?"

He suddenly had an inspiration, and asked: "What is the rent here?"

"A hundred francs a month."

"Well, I will take the rooms over on my own account, and live here
altogether. Mine are no longer good enough for my new position."

She reflected a few moments, and then said: "No, I won't have that."

He was astonished, and asked: "Why not?"

"Because I won't."

"That is not a reason. These rooms suit me very well. I am here, and
shall remain here. Besides," he added, with a laugh, "they are taken in
my name."

But she kept on refusing, "No, no, I won't have it."

"Why not, then?"

Then she whispered tenderly: "Because you would bring women here, and I
won't have it."

He grew indignant. "Never. I can promise you that."

"No, you will bring them all the same."

"I swear I won't."

"Truly?"

"Truly, on my word of honor. This is our place, our very own."

She clasped him to her in an outburst of love, exclaiming: "Very well,
then, darling. But you know if you once deceive me, only once, it will
be all over between us, all over for ever."

He swore again with many protestations, and it was agreed that he should
install himself there that very day, so that she could look in on him as
she passed the door. Then she said: "In any case, come and dine with us
on Sunday. My husband thinks you are charming."

He was flattered "Really!"

"Yes, you have captivated him. And then, listen, you have told me that
you were brought up in a country-house."

"Yes; why?"

"Then you must know something about agriculture?"

"Yes."

"Well, talk to him about gardening and the crops. He is very fond of
that sort of thing."

"Good; I will not forget."

She left him, afte