ing how much good has been done you by work and the open
air," she frankly answered; "I much prefer you as you are. You used to
look so poorly. I thought you really ill."

"So I was," said he.

The train, however, was now stopping at Maisons-Laffitte. They alighted
from it, and at once took the road to the forest. This road rises gently
till it reaches the Maisons gate, and on market days it is often crowded
with carts.

"I shall go first, eh?" said Marie gaily, "for vehicles still alarm you."

Thereupon she started ahead, but every now and again she turned with a
smile to see if he were following her. And every time they overtook and
passed a cart she spoke to him of the merits of their machines, which
both came from the Grandidier works. They were "Lisettes," examples of
those popular bicycles which Thomas had helped to perfect, and which the
Bon Marche now sold in large numbers for 250 francs apiece. Perhaps they
were rather heavy in appearance, but on the other hand their strength was
beyond question. They were just the machines for a long journey, so Marie
declared.

"Ah! here's the forest," she at last exclaimed. "We have now reached the
end of the rise; and you will see what splendid avenues there are. One
can bowl along them as on a velvet carpet."

Pierre had already joined her, and they rode on side by side along the
broad straight avenue fringed with magnificent trees.

"I am all right now," said Pierre; "your pupil will end by doing you
honour, I hope."

"Oh! I've no doubt of it. You already have a very good seat, and before
long you'll leave me behind, for a woman is never a man's equal in a
matter like this. At the same time, however, what a capital education
cycling is for women!"

In what way?"

"Oh! I've certain ideas of my own on the subject; and if ever I have a
daughter I shall put her on a bicycle as soon as she's ten years old,
just to teach her how to conduct herself in life."

"Education by experience, eh?"

"Yes, why not? Look at the big girls who are brought up hanging to their
mothers' apron strings. Their parents frighten them with everything, they
are allowed no initiative, no exercise of judgment or decision, so that
at times they hardly know how to cross a street, to such a degree does
the traffic alarm them. Well, I say that a girl ought to be set on a
bicycle in her childhood, and allowed to follow the roads. She will then
learn to open her eyes, to look out for stones and