e thought would come.
Why did she want to stay now? Papa Fregeau had said that almost on
their arrival they had decided to go on. It was during her walk that
she had changed her mind. What had happened on that walk to make her
change her mind? A walk in Bernay-sur-Mer was not full of incident!
It was ridiculous, absurd, fantastical, but it was there, the thought,
sweeping him with a surge of wild emotion--was it that meeting on the
bridge? But why? How? He was a rough-garbed fisherman, and she--

She laughed delightedly.

"What a frown! How fierce you are! Is it then such a terrible affair
to help me a little--Jean?"

"_Mon Dieu_!" cried Jean--and the words were on his lips with a rush.
"But--_no_!"

"Oh!" she murmured, and drew back a little; and the colour, rising,
glowed pink through her cheeks. "You _are_ impulsive, aren't you?
Well, then, since you are to help me, what are we to do?"

Jean's eyes were revelling in that pink flush. It was satisfying to
the man-mind, that--even though she were of the _grand monde_ then, a
woman was a woman after all. It was a sort of turning of the tables,
that added to the magnetism of her presence because it put him suddenly
more at his ease. But to help her--that was another matter.
Bernay-sur-Mer was--Bernay-sur-Mer! _Voila tout_! Apart from the Bas
Rhone there was no accommodation for strangers, for there was nothing
stranger than strangers in Bernay-sur-Mer. Since then there was no
other place for them to go, he could think of no other place. And yet,
a week, a month--to think that she would spend that time in
Bernay-sur-Mer! _Ciel_! Where were his brains?

"Well?" she prompted, with alluring imperiousness.

It was the force of habit. In trouble, in perplexity, in joy, in
sorrow, for counsel, for advice there was but one court of appeal in
Bernay-sur-Mer--the good Father Anton. The role of Father Anton was
not only spiritual--it was secular. Bernay-sur-Mer was a child and
Father Anton was its parent--it had always been so.

"I will ask Father Anton," said Jean.

"Father Anton? Who is Father Anton?" she demanded.

"He is the cure," Jean answered. "I do not know of any place, but
Father Anton will know if there is any, and--"

"Splendid!" she broke in excitedly. "Let us go and ask Father Anton at
once. Come along"--she crossed the cafe to the front door. "Come
along, Jean, and show me the way."

Yes, certainly, she carried things by assau