ut the doctor, quietly taking one of her hands in his, spoke as
tenderly as was possible for a man of his bearing.

"Father Rielle is saddened, crushed. He cannot tell you, for he feels
it too much. I feel it, too, but I must be brave and put away these
feelings, this natural weakness. My dear lady, my dear Mademoiselle,
your friend, your _fiance_, the man you were about to marry, has met
with a very bad accident."

"A bad accident."

"Yes, a very serious one. You must be prepared."

"He has been killed? Then I know who did it--I know."

"An accident, an accident only, mademoiselle, I assure you. But a very
serious one, as I have said."

"Very serious? He--he--where is he? Take me to him. Oh! I knew
something would happen, I am not surprised, I am not surprised. But it
shall not prevent my seeing him, waiting on him. It shall not prevent
our marriage."

The piteousness of her position softened the doctor's heart still
further; he kept hold of her hand and modulated his voice.

"I am afraid it may. I am afraid you will have to prepare yourself for
a great shock. Martin here--found him."

She did not yet understand.

"Martin, I say, was the one who found it."

The change of pronoun did not fully enlighten her.

"But he is alive! Yes, of course he is alive, only badly hurt. Then
we can be married at once wherever he is. Any one can marry us--Father
Rielle will tell you that. If we both wish, and we both believe in
God, that is sufficient. Other things will not matter. Any one, any
one can marry us. Take me to him."

Dr. Renaud, relinquishing her hand, stepped to the side of the priest
and was followed by Martin. Artemise, always curious and flighty, ran
out and overheard a word or two as the three men again conferred and
fled back to the house, shrieking as she went.

"Dead! Dead! Another death! Within a week! You see I can count!
You see I can count! Dead, drowned, and all in a week!"

The truth was now borne in upon Pauline, and she turned to meet the
united gaze of the three men, reading confirmation of the awful news in
their averted and sobered eyes. The shock told, her limbs shook, her
sight left her, her throat grew sore and dry, but she did not faint.

"I am so cold," she said in English. And again in the same tongue. "I
feel so cold. Why is it?"

Dr. Renaud hastened to her, supporting her with his arm.

"You have guessed?" he said hurriedly.

"I heard. Is it