stuck
imitation solitaires in her ears, donned a worn-out but well-fitting
seal jacket and muff and a dashing black and scarlet hat, and now stood
in the village street--the embodiment of piquant French
womanhood--quite conscious of her charms and insufferably weary of
having no audience to show them off to! A certain disdain sprang into
her treatment of Ringfield at this time, and it was a question with
her, should he ever ask her to be his wife, whether she would not
inevitably tire of the high aims and lofty ideals he no doubt would
impose upon her.

"You don't suppose I'd be going if there were, do you?" she remarked in
English tartly, curving her arching black brows at him; "how many are
we--five? That's three too many, in my opinion. Father Rielle--I go
with you in Mr. Poussette's buggy; you others there, you three
messieurs--you can go how you please."

The priest flushed, then a sudden glance passed between him and
Ringfield, and in that look each knew what the other wished and hated
him for it! Still, Father Rielle followed Pauline instantly, and there
was no opposition as she lightly leapt into Poussette's buggy, and with
a wave of her muff, adorned by a bright scarlet bow, two of the five
were soon out of sight.

CHAPTER XV

THE STORM

"Snow is at the door
Assaulting and defending, and the wind,
A sightless labourer, whistles at his work."

Dr. Renaud now called on the minister and Poussette to make haste; he
had been delayed by the accident to Miss Cordova and already large flat
flakes were falling.

"Just the size of half-dollars, eh? The idea is, Poussette, to bring
madame home; that is to say, the _cure's_ idea, but he's gone off with
another woman. I suppose you are jealous now, of this one I mean, not
the other."

"Not me, much. Father Rielle, he's no harm. He cannot marry
mademoiselle nor any one else; besides, he has no money. Mlle.
Pauline--she is for the money."

"Ah--ha, I believe you. We used to read or sing, I forget which, at
college, about 'Les beaux yeux de sa Cassette'. I do not know the
origin of the quotation, but you understand, Mr. Ringfield, what it
means, and our young lady in front there has learnt in a bitter school
the value of money. _Cassette--cassette_--cash-box; you will see, if
she ever settles down, it will be, as our friend Poussette says, for
the money."

Ringfield's throat was dry, he did not speak; his stern gaze, directed
at the l