t. Why should you break the heart of any girl in the world? Leave
her alone. Is it love to a woman when you break all the commandments,
and shame her and bring her down to where you are--a bad vaurien? When
a man loves a woman with the true love, he will try to do good for
her sake. Go back to that crazy New York--it is the place for you.
Ma'm'selle Christine is not for you."

"Who is she for, m'sieu' le dev'?"

"Perhaps for the English Irishman," answered Shangois, in a low
suggestive tone, as he dropped a little brandy in his tea with light
fingers.

"Ah, sacre! we shall see. There is vaurien in her too," was the
half-triumphant reply.

"There is more woman," retorted Shangois; "much more."

"We'll see about that, m'sieu'!" exclaimed Castine, as he turned towards
the bear, which was clawing at his chain.

An hour later, a scene quite as important occurred at Lavilette's great
farmhouse.

CHAPTER VI

It was about ten o'clock. Lights were burning in every window. At a
table in the dining-room sat Monsieur and Madame Lavilette, the father
of Magon Farcinelle, and Shangois, the notary. The marriage contract
was before them. They had reached a point of difficulty. Farcinelle was
stipulating for five acres of river-land as another item in Sophie's
dot.

The corners tightened around Madame's mouth. Lavilette scratched his
head, so that the hair stood up like flying tassels of corn. The land
in question lay next a portion of Farcinelle's own farm, with a river
frontage. On it was a little house and shed, and no better garden-stuff
grew in the parish than on this same five acres.

"But I do not own the land," said Lavilette. "You've got a mortgage on
it," answered Farcinelle. "Foreclose it."

"Suppose I did foreclose; you couldn't put the land in the marriage
contract until it was mine."

The notary shrugged his shoulder ironically, and dropped his chin in
his hand as he furtively eyed the two men. Farcinelle was ready for the
emergency. He turned to Shangois.

"I've got everything ready for the foreclosure," said he. "Couldn't it
be done to-night, Shangois?"

"Hardly to-night. You might foreclose, but the property couldn't be
Monsieur Lavilette's until it is duly sold under the mortgage."

"Here, I'll tell you what can be done," said Farcinelle. "You can put
the mortgage in the contract as her dot, and, name of a little man! I'll
foreclose it, I can tell you. Come, now, Lavilette, is it a bargain?"