.
"Why are the bells ringing so much, Denzil? Is it a Saint's Day?" she
asked.
He took off his hat. "Yes, ma'm'selle, it is a Saint's Day," and he
named it. "There were lots of neighbours at early Mass, and some have
gone to the Church of St. Anne de Beaupre at Beaupre, them that's got
sickness."
"Yes, Beaupre is as good as Lourdes, I'm sure. Why didn't you go,
Denzil?"
"Why should I go, ma'm'selle--I ain't sick--ah, bah!"
"I thought you were. You've been in low spirits ever since our election,
Denzil."
"Nothing strange in that, ma'm'selle. I've been thinking of him that's
gone."
"You mean Monsieur Barouche, eh?"
"Not of M'sieu' Barouche, but of the father to the man that beat M'sieu'
Barouche."
"Why should you be thinking so much of John Grier these days?"
"Isn't it the right time? His son that he threw off without a penny has
proved himself as big a man as his father--ah, surelee! M'sieu' left
behind him a will that gave all he had to a stranger. His own son was
left without a sou. There he is now," he added, nodding towards the
street.
Junia saw Carnac making his way towards her house. "Well, I'll talk with
him," she said, and her face flushed. She knew she must give account of
her doings with Luzanne Larue.
A few moments later in the house, her hand lay in that of Carnac, and
his eyes met hers.
"It's all come our way, Junia," he remarked gaily, though there was
sadness in his tone.
"It's as you wanted it. You won."
"Thanks to you, Junia," and he took from his pocket the blue
certificate.
"That--oh, that was not easy to get," she said with agitation. "She had
a bad purpose, that girl."
"She meant to announce it?"
"Yes, through Barode Barouche. He agreed to that."
Carnac flushed. "He agreed to that--you know it?"
"Yes. The day you were made candidate she arrived here; and the next
morning she went to Barode Barouche and told her story. He bade her
remain secret till the time was ripe, and he was to be the judge of
that. He was waiting for the night before the election. Then he was
going to strike you and win!"
"She told you that--Luzanne told you that?"
"And much else. Besides, she told me you had saved her life from the
street-cars; that you had played fair at the start."
"First and last I played fair," he said indignantly.
Her eyes were shining. "Not from first to last, Carnac. You ought not
to have painted her, or made much of her and then thrown her over.
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