The Press., 1892-06-02

 ing, and before he left them he planned some delightful expedition for the next day.
 One morning he persuaded them to drive to Jumieges. anl they had dined at the little inn there. and driven home in the dusk beside the river Another day they went ill the Seine steamer to Havre, and visited Trouville Today they were embarked on d much longer journey.
 They had driven over to Lillebonne. and after seeing it's lions they were now bound for Tsncarville, a pretty little vil> lage with an old castle beside the Seine. Monsieur Henri had assured them they could lodge at Tancarville. as the days were now too short for them to return to Caudebec the same evening. Made laine thought the plan delightful. It seemed to her like some happy fairy tale When they were leaving Lillebonne, Madenoisclle Ch:.u.nelle had greatly surprised Monsieur Henri.
 Do you mind exci,n sin, places with me, monsieur? l will sit beside the driver" said the old lady; ''I shall get d better view of the country
 Matielaine felt pleased: she had grown tired of her role of listener. Since that first day Monsieur Henri had talked ex clusively to her aunt. answering any re mark of her own as br:, fly as possibln Madelaine thought he was unroryiviny but then she felt sure she had been rude: she was glad of this chance of showing that she knew how to behave. Mon sieur Henri looked ;ls if he also liked thu. change. as he seated himself beside her and the girl smiled back at him. Sh' was so happy to-day that everythin;. pleased her.
 ''ls it long drive to Tancarville?" she asked.
 sAbout the same distance we came this morning; but you will find it pleas. anter. think: the country is so much prettier."
 shall have" she said "I must soon gG back to Roucn."
 He looked at her very earnestly.
 ''I suppose you will be glad to SC home, will you noty'
 Madelaine thought he said this little sadly
 "Glad-oh. dear. no. 1 am so fond of being at Csudebec with my aunt. Be sides She hesitated. and there came pause of silence.
 Do you nlean,' he said presently ''that you are happier here than you would be at Rouen?
 Madelaine gave an inpulsive sigh. She longed to tell her trouble to Monsieur Henri In these four days spent to- gether she had seen as much of him as she would have seen in much longer series of occasional visits; she liked him very much, though he did not seem to care about her. and she was sure that he might be trusted.
 He looked ut her inquiringly. but ex- cept by her sigh she did not answer him.
 "Tha. was a heavy sigh" he said at last: ''it sounded 's if some trouble were waiting for you at Rouen." Matlelsline dlrted a swift glance at him, and she saw that he was smiling.
 ''You say that as joke" she sail. Suppose it happens to be real earr'st: Suppose there is trouble-solnethin:s !rr- rible waiting for me when go back to RouenY'
 There was such pathetic reproach in her dark eyes that Monsieur Henri looked grave at once.
 "I am so sorry" he said; and Madelaine thought how full of sympathy his voice was. Il wish knew the nature of this 'horril' thing; because might perhaps be able to help you"
 "Thapk you eyer so lnuch,"
 She gave him grateful glance, and Monsieur Henri thought he had never seen her look so sweet: till today he had had so little talk with her, and it was when she talked that Maaelaine's face became expressive and sweet. Every moment he grew more fascinated with his companion. twill you not tell me?' he saio.
 ''I should like to tell you'-she looked frankly at him, then her voice faltered and her eyes fell under his, but am afraid I must not, because it is not quite my own trouble-it belongs also to my parents"
 'si wonder how old you are" he said. ''You look very young to be so discreet Madelaine laughed.
 liam nineteen; but. monsieur. think that a girl much younger than 1 am knows when ts' speak and when to hold her tongue"
 He laughed.
 "You must pardon my indiscreet re- mark" he said.
 "Why did Monsieur Henri laughy Madelaine asked herself. She was not vexed with him, but she could not help wondering what he could find to laugh at in her words.
 He was silent after this. and she, too, had lost her wish to talk: it was new and delightful feeling to have him there beside her She did not care how long the journey might prove; she was not in 8 hurry to reach Tancarville: this drive was pleasant enough to go on forever. Meantime Aunt Virginie had become very tired of the box seat. The driver was so deaf that she soon gave mp any attempt at conversation with him. and though the country was pretty. the suc- cession of green fields and trees, with an occasional bit of blue distance, had be- come lnonotonous. All at once she broke into the delicious silence of her fellow travellers.
 'I SAW five marked on the last stone.' 2 she said. Do you think. monsieur, we are still five kilolneters from Tancar- ville?'
 "About that, l should say;" then he called to the driver to stop. "Your aunt must be tired of sitting up there," he said to Madelaine. ''l had better take her place"
 Mademoiselle Chaumelle protested a little, but she allowed herself to be helped down and placed by the side of her niece. It was really a great relief to her to find herself once more in her proper place. It had seemed to her only kind and natural to give Monsieur Henri the chance of talking to the bright young girl instead of always being perched up on the box seat. but while she sat there in silence it had occurred to MadelDoi-