rise from her work. She was laying the table for my
supper.

"'Ah! you are a stranger here!' she answered with a smile. 'No, it is
not dreary; it is much pleasanter here than in the cities.'

"'But in winter?' I persisted.

"'Oh! the mountains are magnificent then.'

"'Have you been living here long, Madame?'

"'Ten years,' she replied.

"'And these beautiful children are yours?'

"She hesitated a moment, or I thought so, but she said in a moment:

"'Yes, they are mine, and you will see their father presently, the best
man in this place!' She brought in a bowl of steaming soup. 'Excuse the
simplicity of the service, sir.' The door opened, and, master, if it had
been in Africa, or thousands of miles from France, I should have known
Simonne's son. He had his great deep eyes, but, master----"

Pierre stopped short.

"Go on; you frighten me!" cried the Marquis.

"Oh! master, Monsieur Simon has lost a leg. I saw it at once, and the
tears came to my eyes. He lost it at Elchingen, in 1805--it was shot off
by a cannon ball."

The Marquis started.

"And his brother was there, too!" he murmured. "Go on, Pierre."

"I knew him at once, as I was saying. He is tall, he is strong; his hair
is turning gray, and he wears a heavy moustache, and was dressed in
peasant costume. He came to me, and said in a voice that was so like his
mother's: 'You are welcome!' I extended my hand, he did not seem to be
astonished, and received it cordially. I went to the table, and while I
ate my soup I watched him closely. He took the little girl up in his
arms, and began to talk to her in a low voice, and the child listened
intently. I could not hear what was said, but presently the child came
running to me.

"'Monsieur,' she cried, 'will you do me a favor?'

"'Certainly,' I replied.

"'Will you drink with papa to the French army?'

"'Most gladly!' I answered, wondering at the same time if Simon took me
for a spy. The mere idea made me feel ill, and I wanted to tell him who
I was, when he came to the table with a couple of glasses.

"'To the success of our arms shall be our toast, sir!' he said. I
answered, as I raised my glass to my lips: 'To France!' His eyes flashed
with joy. These words had evidently conquered his distrust.

"'Would it be indiscreet to ask, sir, by what strange chance you are in
this wild place?'

"I told him, for I had to lie, that I had lost my way. He looked at me a
moment.

"'You come from Germany, do