imian Roussel! Not from me, but
from the gentleman himself! Forty, sometimes fifty! Such the march,
the forward march of civilize-ation!"

His words were cut short by the unearthly neigh of the engine. Sidonie
smote herself backward against her husband.

"Nay, Sidonie, fear thou nothing! Remember, dear Sidonie, thy promise
of self-control! Stand boldly still, St. Pierre; both father and son,
stand." The speaker was unheard. Hissing, clanging, thundering, and
shaking the earth, the engine and train loomed up to the platform and
stopped.

"Come!" cried Bonaventure Deschamps; "lose no moment, dear friends.
Tide and time--even less the railroad--wait for nobody. Claude,
remember; give your ticket of passage to none save the conductor only.
'Tis print' in letter' of gold on front his cap--'Conductor'--Stop! he
is here.--Sir, this young man, inexperienced, is taking passage for"--

"Shoot him aboard," replied a uniformed man, and walked on without a
pause. Claude moved toward the train. Bonaventure seized him by both
arms and gazed on him.

"Claude St. Pierre! Claude, my boy, pride of Grande Pointe, second
only with Sidonie, farewell!"

Tears leaped into the eyes of both. Bonaventure snatched Claude to his
arms and kissed him. It was less than nothing to him that every eye on
and off the train was on them. He relaxed his grasp. "Sidonie! tell
him farewell!--ah! nay! shake not hands only! Kiss her, Claude! Kiss
him, my own Sidonie, kiss him farewell!"

It was done. Claude blushed red, and Sidonie stepped back, wiping her
eyes. Maximian moved into the void, and smiling gave his hand to the
young adventurer.

"Adjieu, Claude." He waved a hand awkwardly. "Teck care you'seff," and
dropped the hand audibly against his thigh.

Claude's eye sought his father. St. Pierre pressed forward, laid his
right hand upon his son's shoulder, and gazed into his face. His voice
was low and husky. He smiled.

"Claude,"--tears rose in his eyes, but he swallowed them
down,--"Claude,--my baby,"--and the flood came. The engine-bell rang.
The conductor gave the warning word, the youth leaped upon his
father's neck. St. Pierre thrust him off, caught his two cheeks
between fluttering palms and kissed him violently; the train moved,
the young man leaped aboard, the blue uniforms disappeared, save one
on the rear platform, the bell ceased, the gliding mass shrunk and
dwindled away, the rails clicked more and more softly, the tearful
group dre