ost felt like laughing at his odd
gesticulations. And then he talked so nobly, so grandly, that I felt
like weeping; and you know it is my nature to laugh and to cry in spite
of myself. I have made up my mind that I could never love anybody who
could not make me do both _at once_, just as he did, in such a comically
pathetic manner."

"How shall I thank you? Gaston de Bois is my best, my truest, friend!"
said Madeleine, rapturously.

"I know _that_ well enough! Once I feared he might be the mysterious
individual whom you loved; but he said himself that you were a sister to
him; and I almost leapt for joy at those words. A sister never fills the
_whole_ of a man's heart,--does she?"

"Not such a heart as Gaston de Bois'. He will tell you himself who
occupies the sovereign place in that heart when he knows that he may
speak."

"But how is he to know? You must promise me not to tell him, not to give
him even the faintest hint, of what I have communicated. Promise me that
you will not."

"I promise. But you forget how diffident M. de Bois is, how distrustful
of his own merits. He will not easily believe that you _can_ think of
him. And, meantime, you"--

"Will suffer. Yes, I know it; but I should suffer more if I were guilty
of an unmaidenly action. So you will keep your promise?"

"I will keep it faithfully."

It was time for the cousins to part. Bertha returned to the hotel with a
lighter heart, because she had transferred its weighty secret to
another's keeping. But Madeleine's joy was mingled with forebodings that
Gaston de Bois would not suspect his own happiness for a long, sad
period, if ever.

When she went forth, it was long past the hour usually devoted to her
walk. The capitol grounds were gay with promenaders. Madeleine and Ruth
attracted more attention than was agreeable, and, after a short ramble,
turned homeward.

As they passed out of the gates, the first person they met was Gaston de
Bois. He bowed, hesitated, seemed half inclined to walk on without
speaking, but changed his mind and joined them.

It was long since Madeleine had seen him apparently so ill at ease or so
distressed. She smiled as she reflected how quickly three little words
(which she, alas! was forbidden to speak) would change that perturbed
look to one of ineffable happiness.

For a few moments he walked moodily by her side, replying at random to
her casual remarks. It chanced that Ruth was not conversant with the
French la