-sadly.

Genestas reined in his horse as he entered the town, for he met Gondrin
and Goguelat, each carrying a pickaxe and shovel. He called to them,
"Well, old comrades, we have had the misfortune to lose him----"

"There, there, that is enough, sir!" interrupted Goguelat, "we know that
well enough. We have just been cutting turf to cover his grave."

"His life will make a grand story to tell, eh?"

"Yes," answered Goguelat, "he was the Napoleon of our valley, barring
the battles."

As they reached the parsonage, Genestas saw a little group about the
door; Butifer and Adrien were talking with M. Janvier, who, no doubt,
had just returned from saying mass. Seeing that the officer made as
though he were about to dismount, Butifer promptly went to hold the
horse, while Adrien sprang forward and flung his arms about his father's
neck. Genestas was deeply touched by the boy's affection, though no sign
of this appeared in the soldier's words or manner.

"Why, Adrien," he said, "you certainly are set up again. My goodness!
Thanks to our poor friend, you have almost grown into a man. I shall not
forget your tutor here, Master Butifer."

"Oh! colonel," entreated Butifer, "take me away from here and put me
into your regiment. I cannot trust myself now that M. le Maire is gone.
_He_ wanted me to go for a soldier, didn't he? Well, then, I will do
what he wished. He told you all about me, and you will not be hard on
me, will you, M. Genestas?"

"Right, my fine fellow," said Genestas, as he struck his hand in
the other's. "I will find something to suit you, set your mind at
rest----And how is it with you, M. le Cure?"

"Well, like every one else in the canton, colonel, I feel sorrow for
his loss, but no one knows as I do how irreparable it is. He was like an
angel of God among us. Fortunately, he did not suffer at all; it was a
painless death. The hand of God gently loosed the bonds of a life that
was one continual blessing to us all."

"Will it be intrusive if I ask you to accompany me to the cemetery? I
should like to bid him farewell, as it were."

Genestas and the cure, still in conversation, walked on together.
Butifer and Adrien followed them at a few paces distance. They went in
the direction of the little lake, and as soon as they were clear of the
town, the lieutenant-colonel saw on the mountain-side a large piece of
waste land enclosed by walls.

"That is the cemetery," the cure told him. "He is the first to b