When Valmond Came to Pontiac, Complete

pieces, and he gave them liberally to the children and to the poor, though, indeed, there were few suffering poor in Pontiac. All had food enough to keep th

in snow-time every house was banked up with earth above the foundations, the cracks and intersections of windows and doors filled with cloth from the village looms; and wood was for the chopping far and near. Within these air-tight cubes these simple folk baked and were happy, content if now and then the hou

rejoicing in the sweep of the knife and the fulness of the swathe. Then, too, there was the driving of the rivers, when the young men ran the logs from the backwoods to the great mills near and far: red-shirted, sashed, knee-booted, with rings in their e

ons pass

mm's a

he went

du jour

s vents

par l'e

embarqu

-a-a-

swingeing would begin in the little secluded valley by the river; and one would see, near and far, the bright sickle flashing across

tural than involved or obscure. His love for children was real, his politeness to women spontaneous. He was seen to carry the load of old Madame Degardy up the hill, a

the spring. This came from natural kindness, for he did not see the tempting look she gave him, nor the invitation in her eye, as he turned to leave her. He merely asked her name. But after he had gone, as though he had forgotten, or remembered, something

at moment perched himself on the fence, could not decide which Valmond was just then-dauphin or fool. Valmond did

flag, come,

dry these fru

nection, he passed complacently

laugh, she l

her jew

d quickly, as if to see if he had been heard,-"Elise Malboir-h'm! a pretty name, Elise; but Mal

t Elise, till she turned and caught the provoking light of his eye. She flushed, th

said; "come fetch me c

answered he; "come p

aight home. "It isn't a game of pa

's a gentlema

I think you'

d. "Parpon, Parpon!" said he, "if Jean Malboir could see yo

o him than the priest, and he loved to hear the dwarf chant his wild rhythms of the Little Good Folk of the Scarlet Hills, more than to listen to holy prayers. Elise, who had a warm, impulsive nature, in keepi

d-tempered thing, Pa

aid he; "you're a puss and no cat, and I like you better for the claws. If you hate yourself, you'll

whether her face was suffering from heat or from blushes. However that

n?" she asked, no

r Lajeunesse the blacksmith, or Gar

not," she

eur De la Riviere, or Monsieur

nt," she said

r or w

not know what to say

from Montreal, or the grand Governor, or t

hem in others, and more-splendid. He speaks such fine things

ike?" Parpon asked slyly,

le like Madame the American who came two

from New York-fudge!" Yet he eyed her as if

I saw her shut her hands-like that! You remember what tiny hands she had?" (She glanced at her own brown ones unconsciously.) "And she spoke out, her eyes running with tears-and she all in pretty silks, and a colour like a r

an was he!" said Parpon, nodding. "What di

ully. "But Monsieur Valmond seem

is a great man," s

from? Why is he here? How long will he stay? Tell me, how long will he stay?" She caugh

ful it was! Ah, Parpon, why don't you sing for us

"and I'll sing for the devil" (she crossed hers

at had your song to do with

f: "Madame Chalice is coming back to-day; the Manor House is open, and you

had village patriotism deep in her veins. Had not her pe

g had to do with Monsieur," she urg

hands as he had done; then, springing upon a bench by the oven, he kissed her on both cheeks. "Adieu, my child!" he said again,

silver he

roi, l

e daughter

Napol

in her ears, and the words of the

door of her home, and the summer afternoon spent its glories on her; for the sunflowers and the hollyhocks were round her, and the warmth gave her face a shining health and joy

om a sound sleep, and, with a little cry, whi

out of her dreams. But she laughed at it, and buried her f