h act, on his side, served to drive
her again around to Therese.

"Guess what we are going to do to-morrow: you and I and all of us;
Gregoire and David and Fanny and everybody?"

"Going to Bedlam along with you?" Therese asked.

"Mrs. Lafirme is in need of a rebuke, which I shall proceed to
administer," thrusting a crumpled handful of rose leaves down the neck
of Therese's dress, and laughing joyously in her scuffle to accomplish
the punishment.

"No, madam; I don't go to Bedlam; I drive others there. Ask Gregoire
what we're going to do. Tell them, Gregoire."

"They ain't much to tell. We'a goin' hoss back ridin'."

"Not me; I can't ride," wailed Fanny.

"You can get up Torpedo for Mrs. Hosmer, can't you, Gregoire?" asked
Therese.

"Certainly. W'y you could ride ole Torpedo, Mrs. Hosma, if you nova
saw a hoss in yo' life. A li'l chile could manage him."

Fanny turned to Therese for further assurance and found all that she
looked for.

"We'll go up on the hill and see that dear old Morico, and I shall
take along a comb, and comb out that exquisite white hair of his and
then I shall focus him, seated in his low chair and making one of
those cute turkey fans."

"Ole Morico ain't goin' to let you try no monkeyshines on him; I tell
you that befo' han'," said Gregoire, rising and coming to Melicent to
rid him of his sylvan ornamentations, for it was time for him to leave
them. When he turned away, Melicent rose and flung all her flowery
wealth into Therese's lap, and following took his arm.

"Where are you going?" asked Therese.

"Going to help Gregoire feed the mules," she called back looking over
her shoulder; the sinking sun lighting her handsome mischievous face.

Therese proceeded to arrange the flowers with some regard to graceful
symmetry; and Fanny did not regain her talkative spirit that
Melicent's coming had put to flight, but sat looking silent and
listlessly into the distance.

As Therese glanced casually up into her face she saw it warmed by a
sudden faint glow--an unusual animation, and following her gaze, she
saw that Hosmer had returned and was entering the cottage.

"I guess I better be going," said Fanny rising, and this time Therese
no longer detained her.

IV

Therese Crosses the River.

To shirk any serious duties of life would have been entirely foreign
to Therese's methods or even instincts. But there did come to her
moments of rebellion--or repulsion, against the small