noble family preparing
himself to enter it. If Gabriel decides on this course I shall ask you
to--will you grant my request? Say yes!"

"What is it?"

"Let me be his tutor," he answered, trembling.

Marguerite looked at Monsieur de Solis; then she took his hand, and
said, "Yes"--and paused, adding presently in a broken voice:--

"How much I value the delicacy which makes you offer me a thing I can
accept from you. In all that you have said I see how much you have
thought for us. I thank you."

Though the words were simply said, Emmanuel turned away his head not to
show the tears that the delight of being useful to her brought to his
eyes.

"I will bring both boys to see you," he said, when he was a little
calmer; "to-morrow is a holiday."

He rose and bowed to Marguerite, who followed him into the house; when
he had crossed the court-yard he turned and saw her still at the door of
the dining-room, from which she made him a friendly sign.

After dinner Pierquin came to see Monsieur Claes, and sat down between
father and daughter on the very bench in the garden where Emmanuel had
sat that morning.

"My dear cousin," he said to Balthazar, "I have come to-night to talk
to you on business. It is now forty-two days since the decease of your
wife."

"I keep no account of time," said Balthazar, wiping away the tears that
came at the word "decease."

"Oh, monsieur!" cried Marguerite, looking at the lawyer, "how can you?"

"But, my dear Marguerite, we notaries are obliged to consider the limits
of time appointed by law. This is a matter which concerns you and your
co-heirs. Monsieur Claes has none but minor children, and he must
make an inventory of his property within forty-five days of his wife's
decease, so as to render in his accounts at the end of that time. It is
necessary to know the value of his property before deciding whether to
accept it as sufficient security, or whether we must fall back on the
legal rights of minors."

Marguerite rose.

"Do not go away, my dear cousin," continued Pierquin; "my words concern
you--you and your father both. You know how truly I share your grief,
but to-day you must give your attention to legal details. If you do not,
every one of you will get into serious difficulties. I am only doing my
duty as the family lawyer."

"He is right," said Claes.

"The time expires in two days," resumed Pierquin; "and I must begin the
inventory to-morrow, if only to postpone the paym