anted palace.

And was not this beautiful chateau like a palace? The monumental hall,
from which rose a wonderful stairway of white marble, up which ran a
crimson carpet, was a delight to the eyes. On each landing exquisite
flowers and plants were grouped artistically in pots and jardinieres.
Their perfume filled the air.

Bastien took her to the second floor, and without entering opened the
door of a room for her.

"I'll send the chambermaid to you," he said, leaving her.

She passed through a somber little hall, then found herself in a very
large room draped with ivory colored cretonne patterned with butterflies
in vivid shades. The furniture was ivory colored wood, and the carpet
gray, with clusters of wild flowers, primrose, poppies, cornflowers and
buttercups.

How pretty and dainty it was!

She was still in a dream, pushing her feet into the soft carpet, when
the maid entered.

"Bastien told me that I was to be at your service, mademoiselle," she
said.

Here stood a chambermaid in a clean light dress and a muslin cap at her
service ... she who only a few days before had slept in a hut on a bed
of ferns with rats and frogs scampering about her.

"Thank you," she said at last, collecting her wits, "but I do not need
anything ... at least I think not."

"If you like I will show you the apartment," said the maid.

What she meant by "show the apartment" was to throw open the doors of a
big wardrobe with glass doors, and a closet, then to pull out the
drawers of the dressing table in which were brushes, scissors, soaps and
bottles, etc. That done, she showed Perrine two knobs on the wall.

"This one is for the lights," she said, flashing on the electric light,
"and this one is the bell if you need anything.

"If you need Bastien," she explained, "you have to ring once, and if you
need me, ring twice."

How much had happened in a few hours! Who would have thought when she
took her stand against Theodore and Talouel that the wind was going to
blow so favorably in her direction. How amusing it was ... their ill
feeling towards her had itself brought her this good luck.

"I suppose that young girl did something foolish?" said Talouel, meeting
his employer at the foot of the steps. "I see she has not returned with
you."

"Oh, no; she did not," replied M. Vulfran.

"But if Felix drove you back?..."

"As I passed the chateau I dropped her there so that she would have time
to get ready for dinner."

"D