shall never require those again, thank Heaven!" said she to herself
as she moved about the plain little room, "or these stage paints and
other 'fixings' as Sadie calls them."

The imitation earrings went into the bundle; her old sealskin coat and
muff and some photographs of herself and associates in theatrical
costume. It was a case of "on with the new life" carried out with that
conviction and sincerity that distinguished all Miss Clairville's
actions. If she was to marry a rich Englishman, and go to England with
him, travel and keep a maid, she would do it thoroughly; the stage as
well as "Poussette's," the Hotel Champlain as well as Henry and Angeel
must be completely blotted out, else there could be no happiness for
her. Yet at moments there survived, along with this directness of
upward aims, a curious sense of caution, of dislike to part with
certain relics of value, or anything that had figured in her theatrical
life; the Clairville instinct was atavistically working against the new
creature, Pauline; heredity asserting itself in the midst of new and
promising environment.

The next few days brought remarkable changes, veiled by great care and
deliberation on Crabbe's part. He gave up the shack to Martin and had
a bonfire of his effects. He read the Montreal advertisements of
clothing, and sent for a complete wardrobe and two large trunks, yet
his manner to the few at Poussette's was sufficiently repressed to
discourage curiosity. Every hour Pauline expected him to leave her, be
mysteriously lost, then reappear sullen and sodden, but nothing of the
kind occurred. The news of his rehabilitation had spread, but the
community was too small and the place too remote to understand it
thoroughly; meanwhile, the virtuous aspect of both himself and Amable
Poussette was almost enough to drive a man to drink, so depressing was
the atmosphere of the bar--that place once so cheerful! The lemons
grew dry and crinkled one by one; the lager glasses gradually came to
require dusting; the spirit bottles were discreetly put behind almanacs
and large advertisements of "Fall Fairs"; over all was settling a
blight born of conversion and sobriety. Pitiful to relate--the person
who should have been most pleased and interested in this moral
spectacle was bitterly dubious; Ringfield would not, at this stage,
consent to believe in Crabbe's reformation, but winced and shied at
reports of altered prospects. The subject was easily