rd in the courtyard.
Labric barked with all his might, Coco whinnied loudly, the three
cows all mooed at the same time, and the entire poultry-yard in an
uproar added its piercing and varied tones to the general tumult.
The pigs especially made a great noise.

It was the American's four-in-hand.

He was driving himself, and on his left sat a young and pretty
woman, exquisitely dressed in white.

The newcomers were at once shown into the huge kitchen, which
served also as a reception room. On the hearth burned a small
bundle of scented herbs which filled the whole room with
fragrance. Yollande was sitting in her usual place.

"Well, Madame, have you at last decided to let me have the
curly-haired hen?"

Mother Etienne neither moved nor answered.

"See here, Madame, I offer you $4,000, $6,000, $8,000," and so
saying he took from a red morocco pocketbook in banknotes the sums
he mentioned, and spread them out on the table before the
astonished eyes of Mother Etienne and Germaine.

Mother Etienne still shook her head in refusal.

Germaine, driven wild by this sight, began to exclaim: "Yes,
sir,--yes, Madame. Yes, sir,--yes, Madame," and threw herself into
the arms first of the American, and then of Mother Etienne, who
still remained obdurate.

Miss Booum, taking Mother Etienne's hand, said coaxingly: "You can
safely trust her to me. I will take care of her myself, Madame.
With us she will become famous throughout the world. All the
newspapers will speak of her. From your poultry-yard she will come
into contact with the greatest courts of the world. She will be
petted by Grand Duchesses, and receive hands. Besides all this she
will be in good company and will have plenty to amuse her."

This pleading succeeded in dragging from Mother Etienne the
longed-for "Yes," which, though stifled by emotion, was seized
upon by the American.

The good woman had said "Yes," she had conquered the selfishness
of a mother for two reasons. She did not want to prevent Yollande
from getting on in the world, and also she wished to let Germaine
share this fortune, for it was owing to her that the hen had
become so valuable, and she did not think it right to deprive her
of the benefit.

[Illustration: Miss Booum brings Mother Etienne to the circus
tent.]

"That's all settled, then. Here's the contract," said the
American, "you have only to sign it." And a receipt duly prepared
was handed to Mother Etienne, who in a trembling ha