want to thank you once more. We've put you to a good deal of
trouble. You gave us the best you had: I'll never forget what you said
about 'them who through fear of death are all their life-time subject
to bondage.' I wish you were a Catholic priest."

"Why?"

"So we could pay you for your trouble. I don't think you ought to take
it hard if you get a check in to-morrow's mail."

"Thy money survive with thee," said the preacher. "Is that all you
want me to be a priest for? Isn't there another reason?" His eyes
twinkled. "Isn't there something else I could do for you--you or
Claude--if I should turn priest?"

"Yes," said Tarbox, with grave lips, but merry eyes; "we've both got
to have one."

In fact they had two. Yet I have it from her husband himself, that
Madame Tarbox insists to this day, always with the same sweet dignity,
that she never did say yes.

On the other hand, when Claude and Marguerite were kneeling at the
altar the proud St. Pierre, senior, spoke an audible and joyously
impatient affirmative every time either of them was asked a question.
When the time came for kissing, Sidonie, turning from both brides,
kissed St. Pierre the more for that she kissed not Claude, then turned
again and gave a tear with the kiss she gave to Zosephine. But the
deepest, gladdest tears at those nuptials were shed by Bonaventure
Deschamps.

* * * * *

Transcriber's Note

Minor typographic errors have been corrected without note.

This work contains a lot of dialect, which includes unusual spelling
and hyphenation. This has been retained as printed throughout.

A small portion of the text was obscured on page 90. With the context
and available space, 'Claude had' would seem to be the most
appropriate for the original, and has been used here. It now reads,
"... four hands clasped together, Claude had learned, for ..."

The original text contained a small piece of music notation; this has
not been preserved in this version, and is noted simply as [Music].

The single oe ligature has not been retained.

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