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He did not believe this last idea, but he tried to force it on himself, so that he might impress it more powerfully on Françoise. He loved her too ardently to be sure of his own influence.

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'But even supposing the worst,' he thought; if Jehan comes back, he may have been plundered of his gains, and then-' he paused, a dark stern look, as if the shadow of some evil being were reflected in his face, changed him into a distorted likeness of himself; and then,' he went on with firm lips, Jehan Kergrist is a beggar, and Françoise will shrink from beggary; her own money belongs to the children, she cannot touch it, and she has always been used to riches; her ways and habits are delicate and soft, she could not endure privation or discomfort. NoJehan the beggar will not be welcome, and--but I am a fool to waste thought on that which is impossible. Jehan must not return.' He urged on his horse, and soon reached the gabled house of Jean Picard.

'I will be careful,' he said to himself; no word or look shall betray me till my time comes;' and after taking his horse to the stable, he stole softly into the orchard.

When he came in sight of Françoise he stood still gazing. He was keenly alive to things of beauty, and the tall graceful figure, with its clasped hands and saddened face, made a picture of melancholy in vivid contrast to the glow all around, to the rich fruit smiling among the leaves overhead, and the golden light dancing in and out flecking the golden starred grass under foot, to the gay cries of the unseen children, and the soothing hum of the bees; he felt compelled to stand and gaze. Françoise was pondering his influence. What is it that compels me to listen to him?' she said; I believe in him while he is near, and yet the instant he leaves me I shrink from him and his words.'

All at once she looked round and saw him so standing, with an eager look of excitement on his face.

She gave a little cry and ran towards him.

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'You bring me news,' she cried; oh, tell it quickly!

Her heaving bosom, her lovely eyes swimming with uncontrolled emotion, showed him the hold Jehan yet possessed on her love. He shook his head, with sorrow in his face and burning anger in his heart.

'I have no news that he is coming, my sweet friend. I have surmises, founded on my inquiries, it is true; but you will not listen to surmises.'

She put her hand on his arm. 'How do you mean? I will listen to anything that gives news of my husband.'

Logonna turned away with a sad smile.

'Tell me,' she went on; I will know what you are hiding from me.' Then she took her hand away and spoke more gently: You must pardon me, Monsieur Logonna, but suspense makes me vehement and uncourteous.'

She looked at him sweetly, he could scarcely restrain his love from showing itself.

'My friend,' he kept his eyes on the ground,-'you must pardon me if I give you pain. I have reason to think that Kergrist will not return; he is by this time doubtless the husband of another wife.'

Françoise grew colourless, then she flushed to the edge of the matronly cap which hid her fair shining hair.

'It is a false tale,' she said sternly, and you are a false friend to repeat it.'

'Pardon me,' he hurried after her as she turned away, and he spoke eagerly; 'you are very hard on Jehan. What can he do? if he marries and stays in England, he will be rich; if he comes back here, he is a beggar and he beggars you also.'

She stopped and looked at him with a scared face.

"A beggar!-that cannot be-he told me he left his money in safe charge in Quimper.' She fixed her eyes earnestly on Olivier.

"That was his first intention. I had settled to take charge of the coin, and then at the last he changed his mind and took it with him.'

Françoise stood very still and was silent. He could not be false to me,' she said at last; he was always true and honest.'

'How patient, how trusting you are,' Logonna sighed. 'My heart aches to think how such constancy is rewarded; but indeed, dear lady, you waste it—you are certainly a free woman—either Kergrist is dead or he is false, he is dead to you either way; and yet because I only try to show you the truth, you say I am a false friend. I swore to Kergrist that I would watch over and protect you, and it is surely part of this duty to tell you the result of the inquiries I have caused to be made. I have no doubt that Kergrist is at this moment happy with his new wife.'

She turned on him passionately.

'You have some purpose in saying this-why do you do it? Tell me that, too, and then I shall see whether I ought to hate you or believe you.'

Her eyes glowed: she panted with excitement, and again she put her hand on his arm, as if to force the truth from him.

The pressure of her slender fingers maddened him.

'I have no motive,' he said, with passion that equalled her own; but I love you more than my life. Can you not feel, Françoise,'

-he gathered her hands hungrily into his-that you are more to me than life itself?'

She stood still, so shocked with surprise that she did not at once draw her hands from his burning clasp.

'What is any love you have known to mine?' he said ardently. 'Can love that is fed by such love as yours compare with the fire of a heart that has been consuming itself all these years, its only nourishment regret? Ob, Françoise! give me at least a hope; do not drive me to despair.'

She had drawn away her hands, and stood looking proudly at him.

'Monsieur Logonna, what you have just said I will try to forget; but you must not see me again.'

Then she went swiftly round the angle of the house, and left him alone among the fruit-trees.

CHAPTER V.

6 HE WILL RETURN,' SHE SAID.

JEAN PICARD was dead-the funeral was over, and, to the surprise of everyone, the notary of Quimper declared that the old merchant had left every liard he possessed, not to his beloved godchild Françoise Kergrist, but to his esteemed and trusted friend Olivier Logonna; who was also appointed trustee to the two Kergrist children, in place of the dead man.

This arrangement had necessitated more than one meeting between the sorrowful Françoise and Logonna; but though he looked deeply penitent, she treated him with a lofty contempt and only spoke to him when absolutely required to do so.

She was almost heartbroken to-day. The house and all that it contained was the property of Logonna. He had sent her a message through the village priest of Locmaria, the priest who had married her and Jehan, to ask her to consider herself as much mistress of the house as she had been in her godfather's lifetime, but she had refused. She saw that Father Felix thought highly of Olivier, and she did not like to accuse him, but she would not accept his offer.

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You will find it hard to live, my daughter;' Father Felix shook his head with deprecation. Both rent and provisions are dearer since the war began, and you will find it hard to live in Quimper on what remains to you.'

'It will not be for long, Father; Jehan must soon come back now.' Father Felix shook his head; Olivier had persuaded him that

Jehan was dead, and more than once the priest had advised Françoise to consider herself a widow; but she remained obstinate.

Farewell, my child,' he said; 'I hope you will change your mind and stay here. I shall come again to-morrow.'

He went out of the long low room, along a short clay-floored passage, but it seemed to her that he stopped halfway. She heard a cry, and then back came the sound of shuffling feet, and the priest's white scared face looked in on her again.

'Françoise,' he spoke hoarsely, 'my good child, prepare yourself: you are right-or it is his spirit.'

'It is Jehan!' but she could not move: she stood with clasped hands and straining eyes awaiting her husband.

He came in. He was so grey, so wan and weary-looking— such a beggar in appearance, that he was scarcely to be recognised; but Françoise took no note of this. She sprang forward and clasped him in her arms; then she laid her head on his shoulder and sobbed out her joy and sorrow.

Father Felix stole quietly away to fetch the children. He was ghd that Françoise's sorrow was over, but still if she had been really a widow she might have married the rich man, Olivier Logonna, and Olivier had promised a new shrine to the church of Locmaria. Father Felix was vexed with himself that he was not more entirely satisfied.

When he came back with the two children he was greatly surprised at the change in Jehan's manner. His face was red and angry, his eyes sparkled, and he was standing in front of Françoise, questioning her.

The little boys hung back shyly; they did not recognise their father in this soiled, ragged man.

Jehan threw himself on a chair, and pointed at them angrily.

They, too, take me for a beggar,' he said. "Well, Father Felix, are you also in this precious conspiracy to defraud me of what is really mine?'

Françoise did not speak. She raised first one child and then another, and when she had placed them in their father's arms, she hurried to seek food for the wanderer. Meantime the children's kisses softened Jehan.

He turned more courteously to Father Felix, who had begun to question him, and told him how he had been seized by a Danish pirate and made to work on board his captor's ship, till he at last contrived to escape; how he had been plundered of all he had, and thus had been forced to make a long journey on foot, and to beg his way from Bordeaux, near which place he had landed; and

VOL. XXXV. NO. CXXXVII,

G

now how his wife had greeted him with the news of Jean Picard's will, and also that Logonna had told her he was a beggar.

And are you not one, then, my son?' Father Felix brightened with a sudden hope. He had been in terrible anxiety for the future he saw for Françoise with this ruined husband.

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No, I swear by St. Corentin. No-I gave all my money, a very large sum, to Logonna, and he swore to watch over it as though it were his own and to keep the matter a secret.'

The priest gave a deep sigh of relief.

And so he has, my son; even to me he has not said one word of the deposit entrusted to him.'

'But I tell you, father, he has denied its existence. He has told my wife I changed my mind and gave him nothing.'

Father Felix smiled.

'Do you think, my son, he would tell a woman that which he concealed from me? It was but a pious deception to keep your secret from all. Olivier is a good man, and he has watched over your wife and children like a brother.'

Jehan shrugged his shoulders.

'I loved Olivier dearly,' he said; but I did not think he would have juggled my wife out of her inheritance; he▬▬

The priest raised his hand.

Forbear, my son. That was not his fault; the old man was childish and feeble; he grew so to depend on Logonna that he could not bear him out of his sight: he was besotted over him.'

Jehan had grown calm and like himself, and as Françoise came into the room he folded her tenderly in his arms.

'My child,' he said, 'your godfather's will must be seen to. I will eat a crust of bread and drink a glass of wine-no more,' he waved away the salver of good things which Gwen carried behind her mistress; and then, father, by your leave we will all go to Quimper, and find out the truth for ourselves.'

CHAPTER VI.

THE ORDEAL.

THE trio took some time to reach Quimper. Françoise rode behind her husband on the old grey horse that had often carried her and her godfather, and Father Felix walked beside them. Before they reached the city gates, the news had spread of Jehan's return.

The Bishop of Quimper sat alone in the Palace Library-at that time he and the chapter of the Cathedral regulated the affairs of the city of Quimper, and, like a good captain, since war had broken out he had remained at the helm of public affairs.

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