ilence, or abruptly changed the
topic. Under these circumstances, the company, by whom he was
respected and beloved, made the necessary allowances for his state of
health; the only person among them who showed no desire to cheer the
priest's spirits, and to humor him in his temporary fretfulness, being
the silent younger son of Saturnin Siadoux.

Both Louis and Thomas noticed that, from the moment when Monsieur
Chaubard's manner first betrayed his singular unwillingness to touch on
the subject of their father's absence, Jean fixed his eyes on the
priest with an expression of suspicious attention, and never looked
away from him for the rest of the evening. The young man's absolute
silence at table did not surprise his brothers, for they were
accustomed to his taciturn habits. But the sullen distrust betrayed in
his close observation of the honored guest and friend of the family
surprised and angered them. The priest himself seemed once or twice to
be aware of the scrutiny to which he was subjected, and to feel uneasy
and offended, as he naturally might. He abstained, however, from
openly noticing Jean's strange behavior; and Louis and Thomas were
bound, therefore, in common politeness, to abstain from noticing it
also.

The inhabitants of Croix-Daurade kept early hours. Toward eleven
o'clock, the company rose and separated for the night. Except the two
neighbors, nobody had enjoyed the supper, and even the two neighbors,
having eaten their fill, were as glad to get home as the rest. In the
little confusion of parting, Monsieur Chaubard completed the
astonishment of the guests at the extraordinary change in him, by
slipping away alone, without waiting to bid any body good-night.

The widow Mirailhe and her nieces withdrew to their bedrooms, and left
the three brothers by themselves in the parlor.

"Jean," said Thomas Siadoux, "I have a word to say to you. You stared
at our good Monsieur Chaubard in a very offensive manner all through
the evening. What did you mean by it?"

"Wait till to-morrow," said Jean, "and perhaps I may tell you."

He lit his candle, and left them. Both the brothers observed that his
hand trembled, and that his manner--never very winning--was on that
night more serious and more unsociable than usual.

III. THE YOUNGER BROTHER

When post-time came on the morning of the twenty-seventh, no letter
arrived from Saturnin Siadoux. On consideration, the family
interpreted this circums