the enormous nest of evergreen foliage there emerged, in a
state of high excitement strenuously subdued, a short, square-built
man (none other than Rene L'Apotre), whilst between the boughs of the
garden-hedge peeped forth the bashful, ruddy face of the lady of his
fancy, eager to watch the interview.

Rene ran forward, then stopped a few paces away, hat in hand, scraping
and bowing in the throes of an overwhelming emotion that strove hard
with humility.

"Ah, Mademoiselle, Mademoiselle!" he ejaculated between spells of
amazed staring, and seemed unable to bring forth another word.

"And so you have known my mother, Rene," said Miss Molly (in her
native tongue) with a smile.

At the sound of the voice and of the French words, Rene's face grew
pale under its bronze, and the tears he had so strongly combated,
glistened in his eyes.

"If I had not heard last night," he said at length, "that these ladies
had come back--it was Moggie Mearson who told me, who was foster
sister to you, or was it Mademoiselle your sister? and proud she is of
it--if I had not known that the young ladies were here again, when I
saw Mademoiselle I would have thought that my lady herself had
returned to us (may the good God have her soul!). Ah, to think that I
should ever see her again in the light of the sun!"

He stopped, suffocated with the sob that his respect would not allow
him to utter.

But Molly, who had had other objects in view when she rose from her
couch this cold, windy morning, than to present an objective to a
serving-man's emotion, now thought the situation had lasted long
enough for her enjoyment and determined to put an end to it.

"Eh bien, Rene," she said gaily, "or should I call you Monsieur
Potter? which, by the way, is a droll name for a Frenchman, I am very
glad to see that you are pleased to see me. If you would care to have
some talk with me you may attend me if you like. But I freeze standing
here," stamping her feet one after the other on the hard ground. "I
must absolutely walk; and you may put on your hat again, please; for
it is very cold for you too," she added, snuggling into her muff and
under her fur tippet.

The man obeyed after another of his quaint salutes, and as Molly
started forward, followed her respectfully, a pace in rear.

"I daresay you will not be sorry to have a little talk with a
compatriot in your own tongue, all English as you may have grown,"
said the young lady presently; "and as Mo