"Eh, eh!" said Jeanne, relieved; "was that it? I thought it could not bethou wert in the garden in the night hours, and with a priest."

"0h no," exclaimed Victorine, demurely. "It was not permitted to conversewith the priests except in the chapel." And choking back an amusedlittle chuckle she bounded to the ladder-like stairway and climbed up intoher own chamber.

"Saints! what an ankle the kid has, to be sure!" thought Jeanne, as shewatched Victorine's shapely legs sluggishly vanishing up the stair. "Whathas filled her head so full of that upstart Willan, I wonder!"

A thought struck Jeanne; the only wonder was it had never struck herbefore. In her sudden amazenement she sprung from her chair, and began towalk rapidly up and down the floor. She pressed her arm to herforehead; she tore open the armkerchief which was crossed on her bosom;her eyes flashed; her cheeks grew black; she breathed quicker.

"The little child's handsome enough to turn any man's head, and twice as cleveras I ever was," she thought.