utposts, scarcely any signs of storm appeared; last
year's leaves, still matted together underfoot, were tangled with the
green vine of the creeping linnaea and a rare root of the lustrous
winter-green. Here, beneath the thick canopy of branches not all
devoid of their foliage since many larches and pines were to be found
there, was another climate; coming from that bland whiteness which was
not cold, these dark arcades of forest struck chills to the feet and
face; damp odours rose from rotting mould and wood not protected by a
snowy covering, and broad sallow fungi, wide enough to sit upon, looked
of an unearthly tint in the drear half-light.

Naturally the sight of these glittering plains and frosted forests,
unusual even in that land of snow and ice, called for sightseers, and
at Poussette's every one had been up early to gaze on the outside
world, among whom were Miss Clairville and Crabbe, the latter feeling
his recent backsliding very keenly. Pauline had now finally packed her
little trousseau and other belongings, and arrangements were being made
to enable Poussette to leave his business and Miss Cordova her sewing;
the party of four were to descend on the Hotel Champlain on Wednesday,
the wedding would take place on Thursday, the married couple sailing at
once for Liverpool.

Leaning on her lover's arm, Pauline therefore easily found warmth and
words with which to admire the landscape spread before her, for was she
not soon to leave it, exchanging these frigid and glacial glories for
life in a European capital, and, once for all, abandoning all ideas of
a career and relegating everything at St. Ignace and Clairville to a
place in her memory? Beautiful, then, she found it, and gaily
proposing a walk along the decorated road, suddenly remembered Angeel
and resolved to visit her and say good-bye. Crabbe demurred.

"Why should you?" he said, with the nettled intolerance of a being
angry with himself, and prone to visit his ill-temper on others.

"But I must, Edmund! I meant to before. If Henry had not died, or if
we had never found out about the other matter, I would have gone!"

"I see no reason. The brat has its mother, hasn't it?"

"Oh, don't be so hard! Yes, yes, of course, but she might like to
remember me, wish to see me once again,--it may be for the last time."

"Gad--I think it will. I'm not worth much, 'pon my soul, but I can
take you away and save you from all this annoyance. I hate every