capitulate before we have done. After all,
she is the younger. We intend to stay in our rooms without descending
until she promises to ask pardon for her insults, and say no more of
the matter; and we will go out nightly to get air--carefully avoiding
meeting her--and will buy ourselves sausages and chocolate, and so live
until she sees how wrong she has been."

She ended with great pride, feeling that at length she must have made
an impression on this prosaic English girl, and was much disconcerted
when Barbara broke into laughter, crying, "Oh, you goose; how can you
be so silly!"

Marie rose with hurt dignity. "You have no feeling for romance," she
said. "Your horizon is most commonplace." Then, struck by a sudden
fear, she added, "But you surely will not be unpleasant enough to tell
Aunt Therese what I have confided to you? I trusted you."

"No," Barbara said, a little unwillingly, "I won't tell her; but I wish
you had left me out of the matter entirely, for I certainly cannot lie
to her." And with that Marie had to be content.

CHAPTER VII.

A WILD DRIVE.

The uncomfortable "campaign," as Marie had called it, continued for
some days, and Barbara was in the unpleasant condition of having both
parties confide in her. At the end of that time, however, it seemed as
if the dainties that sustained the two upstairs began to pall upon
them, as housekeeping evidently did on Mademoiselle Therese, and
Barbara saw signs of a truce.

This was doubtless hastened by the news that an old family friend was
coming with his wife and daughter on the next Sunday afternoon, and, as
Mademoiselle Therese explained, they must keep up appearances. He was
a lawyer who lived at Dol, and from the preparations that were made,
Barbara saw that they thought a great deal of him, for there was such
baking and cooking as had never been since her arrival. The salad even
was adorned with rose leaves, and looked charming, while the
Mesdemoiselles Loire clothed themselves in their best garments.

They all sat in state in the drawing-room as the hour for the arrival
of the visitors approached, trying to look as if they had never heard
of soufflet or mayonnaise salad, and Barbara, who had been called upon
to taste each of the dishes in turn and give an opinion on their worth,
almost felt as if she never wished to hear of such things again. About
twelve o'clock a _fiacre_ stopped at the door, and a few minutes later
the visitors w