in order, while M. Bourdinave scarcely
suppressed a chuckle.

I stepped across the room, and took Madeleine's hand. "Here is my
choice," said I, "if she will have me. We have known each other from
childhood."

Madeleine instantly snatched her hand away, and covered her face.
However, the next moment her father joined our hands, and gave us his
blessing; and then we were bewildered with congratulations and good
auguries; and Master Brignolles gave us a world of good advice, and
offered a prayer; and my father gave me a ring of betrothal to put on
her finger, and thus we became plighted to one another.

The rest of our stay at Beaucaire passed like a dream, and its
brightness yet remained while we pursued our homeward journey. Madeleine
sat close behind me this time, and on her knee was little Jules Lefevre,
whom we had taken in charge of because his father's wagon was over-full.
He had something clasped tight in his hand, which he unclosed for a
moment at Madeleine's request, and gave her a glimpse of a little "Agnus
Dei," which he said had been given him by "the pretty lady." How or when
she had done so, we never made out. Madeleine tried to get it from him;
but he resisted with all his might, saying it was "his own."

"It must be confessed," said Gabrielle, "that the Catholic churches have
much more in them to attract the eye than our plain temples."

"Who denies it?" said I. "Their appeals are to the outward senses, which
never influence the heart."

"I think my heart would be very much influenced by them," said
Gabrielle, "if I had not been brought up to think them wrong."

"I cannot bear to hear you talk in that way, sister," said Madeleine.
"Pray, do not seem indifferent to the blessings of a purer faith."

Gabrielle pouted, and said, "Indifferent? no; but perhaps if you and I
had been brought up Catholics, we might have been as positive we held
the purer faith as we are now that we are of the Reformed."

"A very good thing, then, that you were not so brought up," said I,
"for then I should not have been betrothed to Madeleine;" and to prevent
her pursuing so unpleasant a subject, I lifted up my voice and sang.
Little Jules presently dropped asleep in Madeleine's arms, and his
little fat fingers unclosing, the dangerous bauble dropped from them,
and, by a dexterous touch of my whip, I flicked it into the road.
By-and-by, awaking, he cried for it, and beat Madeleine with his tiny
fists; nor was pacified t