food for his spiritual nature--these
were the thoughts so warmly sketched and the lessons so skilfully drawn
from the passage in question.

At the conclusion of the service, Ringfield was moving out quietly
behind the others, with that sense of slight collapse upon him which
frequently follows oratorical efforts, when Poussette and the
architect, Desnoyers, turned back and shook hands with him.

Madame Poussette, standing irresolutely near the door, weak,
vacant-eyed, badly dressed, was staring at another woman, the veiled
and cloaked figure who had rustled in during the reading of Scripture,
but the veil was lifted now and the cloak hanging over her arm. The
face and form were undoubtedly those of a most attractive, youthful and
well-dressed person, in fine, a lady, and Ringfield at once recollected
her presence in the congregation. So mutual was their recognition,
that, accustomed to being sought in this manner, he was about to
inquire if she wished to speak with him, when Poussette came between
them, taking his wife's arm, and the opportunity was lost. In a few
moments they were driving along the road to Bois Clair, and the young
minister, looking back, could discern no trace of the lady. So little
did he connect her with the remote wildness of the place, so different
did she appear even in a moment's glimpse from the natives and visitors
alike, who had made up the morning assembly, that he did not ask M.
Poussette for any information. As for the latter, no achievement had
ever put him into such good humour with himself as the building of the
new church; and the Sunday dinner at which M. Romeo Desnoyers and the
Rev. Joshua Ringfield were guests of honour, was eaten with the utmost
relish and hilarity. Cabbage soup, the French Canadian staple; young
Beauport ducks, dressed plentifully with onions; deep pies in earthern
bowls containing jointed chickens and liver cut in shapes; apples and
pears baked in the oven with wine and cream; good butter, better bread,
and indifferent ice cream, _creme d'office_, made up one of the
characteristic meals for which "Poussette's" was famous, and it need
not detract from Ringfield's high mental capacities to state that
having partaken of this typical and satisfying fare, he was compelled,
when he could escape the importunities of his French friends, to walk
away by himself along the muddy highroad for the benefit of his health.

CHAPTER II

THE WHITE PEACOCK

"No