er. He got that taking, by himself, nine
Boches! And still the best news is what he writes about his friend
Castanado."

"Ah, Melanie! And you hold that back till now? And you know we are
without news of him sinze a month! He's promote'? He's decorate'?"

"He's found a treasure. I think maybe you'll get his letter to-morrow.
Me, I got mine soon; passing the post-office I went in and asked."

"But how, he found a treasure? and what sort?"

"He just happened to dig it up, in a cellar, in Rheims. He's
betrothed.'

"Melanie! What are you saying?"

"What he says. And that's all he says. I hope you'll hear all about
that to-morrow."

"Oh, any'ow tha'z the bes' of news!" Castanado said, kissing his wife's
hand and each temple. "Doubtlezz he's find some lovely orphan of that
hideouz war; we can trus' his good sense, our son. But, Melanie, he
muz' have been sick, away from the front, to make that courtship."

"I do not know. Everything happens terribly fast these days. I hope
you'll hear all about that to-morrow."

Castanado playfully lifted a finger: "Melanie, how is that, you pass
that poss-office, when it is up-town, while you--?" The question hung
unfinished--maybe because Melanie turned so red, maybe because the
door-bell rang again.

Enlivened by the high art they had been enjoying and by the fresh night
air, a full half-dozen came in: M. and Mme. De l'Isle, whom the others
had chanced upon as they left the theatre; Dubroca and his wife; Mme.
Alexandre; and finally Beloiseau. "Melanie!" was the cry of each of
these as he or she turned from saluting madame; this was one of
madame's largest joys; to get early report from larger or smaller
fractions of the coterie, on the good things they had seen or heard,
from which her muchness otherwise debarred her. The De l'Isles,
however, were not such a matter of course as the others, and Mme. De
l'Isle, as she greeted Mme. Castanado, said, in an atmosphere that
trembled with its load of mingled French and English:

"We got something to show you!"

In the same atmosphere--"And how got you away from yo' patient?" Mme.
Alexandre asked her daughter as they embraced a second time.

"I tore myself," said Melanie, while Castanado, to all the rest, was
saying:

"And such great news as Mel'----"

But a sharp glance from Melanie checked him. "Such great news as we
have receive'! Our son is bethroath'!--to a good, dizcreet, beautiful
French girl; which h