for she saw
Charley's reproving eyes upon her--"I saw him with the cross--with the
cross raised over Monsieur."

"He meant to threaten me," interposed Charley quickly.

"We will have the truth!" said the Seigneur, in a husky voice.

"The cross came down on Monsieur's bare breast." The grocer laughed
vindictively.

"Silence!" growled the Seigneur.

"Silence!" said Filion Lacasse, and dropped his hand on the grocer's
shoulder. "I'll baste you with a stirrup-strap."

"The rest is well known," quickly interposed Charley. "The poor man was
mad. He thought it a pious act to mark an infidel with the cross."

Every eye was fixed upon him. The Cure remembered Louis Trudel's last
words: "Look--look--I gave--him--the sign--of...!" Old Margot's words
also kept ringing in his ears. He turned to the Seigneur. "Monsieur,"
said he, "we have heard the truth. That act of Louis Trudel was cruel
and murderous. May God forgive him! I will not say that mademoiselle did
well in keeping silent--"

"God bless the darlin'!" cried Mrs. Flynn.

"--but I will say that she meant to do a kind act for a man's mortal
memory--perhaps at the expense of his soul."

"For Monsieur to take his injury in silence, to keep it secret, was
kind," said the Seigneur. "It is what our Cure here might call bearing
his cross manfully."

"Seigneur," said the Cure reproachfully, "Seigneur, it is no subject for
jest."

"Cure, our tailor here has treated it as a jest."

"Let him show his breast, if it's true," said the grocer, who, beneath
his smirking, was a malignant soul.

The Cure turned on him sharply. Seldom had any one seen the Cure roused.

"Who are you, Ba'tiste Maxime, that your base curiosity should be
satisfied--you, whose shameless tongue clattered, whose foolish soul
rejoiced over the scandal? Must we all wear the facts of our lives--our
joys, our sorrows, and our sins--for such eyes as yours to read? Bethink
you of the evil things that you would hide--aye, every one here!" he
added loudly. "Know, all of you, what goodness of heart towards a wicked
man lay behind the secret these two have kept, that old Margot carried
to her grave. When you go to your homes, pray for as much human kindness
in you as a man of no Church or faith can show. For this child"--he
turned to Rosalie-"honour her! Go now--go in peace!"

"One moment," said the Seigneur. "I fine Ba'tiste Maxime twenty dollars
for defamation of character. The money to go for the poor."