Year: 1877

| ucIluS- ne tODh Ou utS nat TeVtreDtlV.
and the misty dreams that had been
confusing him dispersed for awhile.


"Ursule is WITCH" be said, "No.
will not seek her, | will speak Tor
myself" But as be drew nearer to
Kerion, his courage failed Annik
bad never said or done anything in
the way Of personal encouragement.
He could not approach her in the reg
ular fashion, through the crooked tai
lor Of the village-whose business
lay more 10 the making of marriages
than 10 the making of clothes--ior
this tailor was known friend Of Cue
rik's and would certainly speak to
the uncle before speaking to the niece,
and thus Silvestik's suit would re-
main untold


eff | had only a mother, :" the
poor fellow sighed He had been an
orphan ever since be could remem-
Der I; owing all his teaching to Faith
er Pierre. aud helped on first by one
cousin, then by another, but knowing
no home except the houses # the
farmers with whom be mad taken SER
vice.


Here was Kerion at last. He pass
ed the low cottage where Annik had
talked to the cat, and where old Bar
ba had given her counsel. and speed
ing swiftly up the bill with long,
strong strides, be came in sight Of the
farmhouse, dull red glow through
the window beside the door making
it visable at some distance. Silyes-
tik stood still and gazed as lover
does gaze on the nest that holds his
beloved. Then his eyes went to the
upper story.


"Annik is still below" be thought;
there is no light up stairs.n
Between him and the house. OBJ
scuring the red light in the window.
came two dark figures, and passed in
under the low stone arch of the door
way. The door was shut to. and in
minute the dull red frightened, and
the window was ablaze with light.
A curse rose to Silvestik's lips all
his pure simple worship of Annik
was dimmed by cloud Of furious
jealousy He had seen Guerik tax
ing Lao Coatfrec to his hesrth-stone
to WOO Annik.


IL was fool not to guess il yester-
day. might have spoken then, and
so have had her answer before Lao
had time to court her with his false
words He is a thief, and therefore
be must be a liar-curse him "


He plunged his hands into bis hair;
be stood gazing wildly at the house,
while one mad thought, and then
another wrecked all self control
Then with a sudden impulse. be went
fast up the bill. on along the road for
some distance, till be paused at a
cross-road-just such narrow, sunk
en- turning, between two lofty banks,
as that where be had heard the wind
shrek over the stone strewn waste
near Nixon.


II will see Ursule and ask ber
belp.' be said; fright ways are use
less against knaves and pIotters-
they must be met in their own way !;
who can say how those two may use
Annik ? | must take any means to
win her,"


But even then bis conscience mis-
gave him, and to quiet its prieks be
plunged recklessly down the hollow
way.


Down, down, it led him, through
wet and mire bramble-tangled paths
on to a vast waste. Here it was not
so dark as in the narrow way, and
the monotonous distant moaning told
that the sea was not far off There
was light enough to show pools Of
water, and in the midst of these was
cluster of hugh stones, like a long
low hut. At sight of this Silvestik
stopped, and his heart beat violently.
He tried mechanically to cross him
self, but bis fingers felt stiff and glued
together. A cold dew spread over
his forehead, and it seemed to him
that the h.irs lifted themselves and
stood upright on his head. He had
never visited this gloomy waste since
be was child, but he had been told
that the bsg Ursule, stunned and
feared By all. lived in ruined dOlmen
at the end Of the narrow road be had
descended. This, then, must be her
abode.


Silvestik was brave; be had rescu-
ed three men from drowning at the
risk Of his own life; be was an excel
lent wrestler, and never sbrsnk from
any amount of bodily fatigue or pain:
but be shook with actual fear at the
thought of intruding on Mother Ur-
sue.


Continued IN our merit