green world! The
boughs have suddenly clothed themselves all in a wondrous garment, and
you feel the blood run riot in your veins out of pure sympathy.

One day in March, it was warm and sweet. Underfoot were violets, and
wee white star flowers peering through the baby-grass. The sky was
blue, with flecks of white clouds reflecting themselves in the brown
bayou. Louisette tripped up the red brick walk with the Chicago letter
in her hand, and paused a minute at the door to look upon the leaping
waters, her eyes dancing.

"I know the bayou must be ready to overflow," went the letter in the
carefully phrased French that the brothers taught at the parochial
school, "and I am glad, for I want to see the dear maman and my
Louisette. I am not so well, and Monsieur le docteur says it is well
for me to go to the South again."

Monsieur le docteur! Sylves' not well! The thought struck a chill to
the hearts of Ma'am Mouton and Louisette, but not for long. Of course,
Sylves' was not well, he needed some of maman's tisanes. Then he was
homesick; it was to be expected.

At last the great day came, Sylves' would be home. The brown waters of
the bayou had spread until they were seemingly trying to rival the
Mississippi in width. The little house was scrubbed and cleaned until
it shone again. Louisette had looked her dainty little dress over and
over to be sure that there was not a flaw to be found wherein Sylves'
could compare her unfavourably to the stylish Chicago girls.

The train rumbled in on the platform, and two pair of eyes opened wide
for the first glimpse of Sylves'. The porter, all officiousness and
brass buttons, bustled up to Ma'am Mouton.

"This is Mrs. Mouton?" he inquired deferentially.

Ma'am Mouton nodded, her heart sinking. "Where is Sylves'?"

"He is here, madam."

There appeared Joseph Lascaud, then some men bearing Something.
Louisette put her hands up to her eyes to hide the sight, but Ma'am
Mouton was rigid.

"It was too cold for him," Joseph was saying to almost deaf ears, "and
he took the consumption. He thought he could get well when he come
home. He talk all the way down about the bayou, and about you and
Louisette. Just three hours ago he had a bad hemorrhage, and he died
from weakness. Just three hours ago. He said he wanted to get home
and give Louisette her diamond ring, when the bayou overflowed."

MR. BAPTISTE

He might have had another name; we never knew. Some o