th her little girl in her
arms, and Jacques at her side.

"We shall not leave you, Simon," said his wife. "But I wish to speak to
you a moment."

Simon looked at her in surprise. Then turning to Michel, "You will
complete the arrangements. Jacques will show you where the arms are
stored."

"Rely on us, Simon!" shouted the peasants. "We will do our duty!"

CHAPTER VIII.

THE PAST OF FRANCOISE.

Simon followed his wife into the house. She closed the door behind her.
Simon was struck by the strange expression in her face. Was it anxiety
for him that had clouded that placid brow?

"Friend," said Francoise, "you must know all. I saw that Austrian
officer from the window, and recognized him--"

"Recognized him!"

"Yes, for the man who dishonored my sister that fatal night of the 16th
of May, 1804, at Sachemont, was not alone. He was accompanied by the
Count of Karlstein, the man whom you have just seen. I cannot dwell upon
the terrors of that night. I escaped--but my poor sister! Nor did I ever
speak of that man to you. I felt that Talizac was enough for us to
hate."

"Yes, dear, I see; and I, too, have something to tell, for, when after
long months in the hospital at Dresden, I was permitted to leave it, I
wandered, I know not where; but I reached a hut--it was in February,
1805--I saw a light and knocked. There was no answer, and I opened the
door and went in. To my horror, I beheld a woman dead, and heard an
infant screaming its heart out."

"Poor little Jacques!" said Francoise, weeping.

"I saw a cup of milk on the table; I gave some to the infant. Presently
you came in, and did not seem astonished to find the child in my arms.
The physician you had gone to seek looked at the poor woman, said she
was dead, and that he could do nothing. We were left alone together. It
seemed as if you trusted me at once. Your hands trembled, and it was I
who closed the eyes of the dead. The next day we followed the poor girl
to the grave, and when one of the rough peasants who bore the bier on
which she lay, asked you who I was, you answered simply, 'A friend!'

"After we returned to the hut, I asked you who the dead girl was, and
then you pronounced the name of Talizac, and heard that a gentleman of
France had conducted himself like a base coward--"

"But an honorable man said to me, 'Shall we repair the crime of another?
Shall we not give this little one a home and a family?' I became your
wife, your happy, ho