ere was a striking
similarity between the two. Madame, for all her dignified title, being
but a year the elder, and she scant of twenty. Charlotte, somewhat
slighter and more delicately colored, was even of greater beauty than
her sister, with much promise for the years to come. To the casual
observer, though, especially when viewed apart, they seemed almost
reflections one of the other. There was something of a loving
guardianship in the attitude of the elder, of confiding trust in that
of the younger, as she leaned her head upon her sister's knee in
pensive meditation.

"Sister, I must tell you of something; I know not that I did well or
ill," and she lifted her face with a surety of sympathy.

"What is it, dear, what weighty matter troubles you now?"

The Chevalier looked up long enough to say:

"Have you torn your frock, or only quarreled again with the good Abbe
over your task?" The girl very evidently had nothing to fear from his
harshness.

"No! No! Don't tease; it's really important. This day at noon Madame
Chartrain was in her chamber--you know the young man who came with M.
Jerome?" de la Mora nodded.

"The same I ran into at the door?" and she flushed again at the memory
of our discomfiture.

"Well, to-day noon at Madam Chartrain's I heard that danger threatened
him concerning some papers or something which he has--and Madame du
Maine, too, they mean him harm; and--and--well, I told him. Did I do
ill, sister?"

"What is that, Charlotte? Come here."

She crossed the room obediently and stood before him.

The Chevalier asked: "How did it happen, child? Tell me all about it,
where you saw him, who was there, and all."

So she went on to tell of her seeking me in the park, and her hurried
warning.

"Well, what did he say to all that?"

"He didn't say anything; I gave him no chance; I just ran up near him
and told him as quick as ever I could that he had better go off
somewhere, and then--and then--well, I just ran away again. He looked
so startled and surprised he could not say anything. When I turned
again to peep through the hedge he was still standing there with his
hands stretched out as if he would have liked to stop me, but I was
already gone."

The girl laughed a short little laugh and tucked her hand closer into
his.

"Did I do wrong, Charles? Tell me, was it so very, very--bold?"

The Chevalier could not quite suppress the smile already twitching at
his lips, though h