The record-union., 1895-04-13

Hood of radiance had washed away
all the gloom of winter even from
the frowning granite tors, and turned
the inky weather stains into delicate
shades of amethyst. which served to tone
down the insistent brilliance where
heather, mingled with gorse and dotted
with patches of succory, almost wearied
the eye.
The lank spare form of Pere Jacque-
mard in his black cassOck looked rather
like one of the rocks which from time
to time alighted and stalked about
among the flowers. Around, tn silence
was murmurous with the hum of little
wings, and the JOY OF living manifested
Itself on every side in crowds OF butter
flies which danced and wavered above
the yellow blossoms.
The summer had got into Armand's
heart too, and showed itself in the alert,
sprlnglng step with which he strobe
across the hills. If his removal from
Baigneville had been intended as retri-
outIon for any lnisdeed, it had failed, for
he was happy; ii as discipline, it had sue
ceeded. He was learning the lesson it
takes most of US a lifetime TO master, that
II we will but adjust ourselves TO our cir
cumstances instead of straining against
them, 1t is possible to find both work and
happiness where perhaps we would not
nave chosen to seek them. 1t would
probably have surprised those who had
appointed him could they have seen how
effective the fashionable preacher of
Baigneville was among these ignorant
farmers. Probably the secret of success
was the same in both cases, anG lay in
the gift of an unusually sympathetic
temperament. He never tried con-
scious-y to adapt himself to his hearers,
but spoke out OF the sincerity of his own
heart, and whether to peer or peasant the
appeal went home.
The one thing impossible to Armand
was stagnation. His busy brain was as
full OF schemes for the benefit OF his flock
as 1t had ever been, and it was in pursuit
Of one of these that he was marching
across the hills to-day. His church was
large, but it was situated at one corner of
the widely scattered parish, and ne had
set his heart on the restoration of an an
cient ruined chapel at the further end.
lie would have found no difficulty In
collecting more than the sum he needed
among his former parishioners, but he
wanted TO teach his people to help them
selves, so he utilized the little gifts that
their thrlitlness 1--WE will not call 1t par
simony) would bestow, and from those
who had no money to bestow he got
days labor or load OF stones, worth far
more to him as proof of his hold on
their love than any number of francs
from the outside world.
His present errand was not a very hope
fuI one. 1t would have seemed 10 most
people scarcely worth while to come so
lar out OF his way to ask for a contIbu-
tion of few sous from Mother Nede-
lee, who had the reputation of being
clOse-tisted, and from her own account
had barely enough TO keep body and soul
together. Her little cottage stood by itself
at some distance from the high road at
the opening OF a wild rocky gorge. Just
beyond it the path forked, one way lead
ing by short cut to Carhaix, the other
win a
where one might fancy company Of
giant children had been playing at
houses with the monstrous powders, as
human children build with pebbles.
Tradition named the successive grottoes
! the sleeping chamber, the parlor and the
kitchen. The last was the most awful OF
! all, for in its depths a brown torrent
formed a seeJhing caldron, and woe be-
| tide anyone who should slip on the round
! polished powders that tlanked it. Legend
/ of saint and devil aScribed miraculous
origin and lent deeper interest to the
place; far as II lay out of the beaten track,
travellers occasionally left the diligence at
the nearest point on the high road and
came to peer awestruck into it's mysteri-
GUS depths. Before Herve went to sea it
had been his task to act as guide, plotting
the unaccustomed visitor warily with
strong hand and Watchful eye, and relat-
ing With a BretOn's unconscious poetry
had not Jailed to Introduce his friend the
priest to what he considered the chief
lion in Plougallec, but Armand shrank
with an unaccountable distaste from the
gloomy spot.
Ere long he reached the old woman's
solitary dwelling and raped. There
was no answer, and after a repeated
! summons he went to the little window
which, though rather high up in the
! wall, his tail stature could command
and peered in. He knew Mother Ne
! delec was deaf, and he was unwilling to
| assume that he had had his long hot
tramp in vain till he had made certain
that the cottage was empty. At first,
] GaZZled with the sunshine, he could
make out nothing, but presently he per-
/ ceved the stiff wings of her white cap
/ bending over something in the corner
| by the black oak bureau. AS his eye
/ got used to the obscurity he saw what
was in her hand a long stocking of
| gray blue wool. and into it she was
counting money; he could hear the chink
of the pieces as they fell, and could see
/ the gleam OF gold. So after all, rumor
! had not been SO far wrong
! He would not startle her nor betray
| that be had seen her occupation by rap
! ping on the window, but returned to the
! door. to which repeated and peremptory
summons brought her alter brief delay.
! Mother Nedelec was a pale old woman
! with handsome aquiline features; her
gray eyes were cold aud hard, and her
! Lhin-lipped mouth shut tight. She lis
tened civiIly TO the priests explanation
! OF his errand, but gave a cold response
/ She was a very poor old woman she
said, with hardly enough to put bread into
/ her mouth. She wondered NJ. le Recteur
| should take the trouble TO come so far for
what she could give. Why not ask NJ
Michelet? He could afford to build the
/ chapel all himself and not feel il. Ar
( mand, looking at her white face and lean
wrinkled neck, could have believed these
/ professions OF poverty but for what he
! had seen through the window. He was
too much OF gentleman 10 refer TO this
| i'll fact, he felt as though he had been
/ playing the spy, and the feeling seemed
10 cripple his eloquence. He tried, how
ever, to explain TO the old woman that
! the value lay in the goodwill of the
giver, aud that her little gift would be
! quite as precious as NJ. Michelet's if it
was in proportion to her means. But he
was glad to depart presently, with a con-
/ tribation of two sous i'll his pocket
III.
In the cool freshness of an October
! morning Armand was pacing UP and
down the little narrow orchard that ad-
/ joined the presbytery. The sunlight
! tiickered down upon his tonsured head
through the branches; the mists were
clearing, but left every leaf and blade of
/ grass thick strung with glittering gems
/ which the skirt oil his cassock brushed
| oil as he passed. His breviary was in his
hand, his foretinger marking the place as
he held it half closed, and his lips moved
! from time 10 time.
Into the stiffness broke suddenly a
noise, confusion. horror. First, a cry,
/ then hurrying feet, then shrill voices all
together, and through the broken excla-
nations of terror and dismay the CHASTITY
tale was presently uufolded. There had