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as on a pedestal； young； pale； but very handsome and exalte；
pardon！〃
〃Nothing；〃 said Dick hurriedly； 〃go on！〃
〃She beseeches him why！ He says he is lost！ She faints away； on
the instant； thereregard me！ON THE EDGE OF THE WOOD； she says。
But her mother and Monsieur le Cure find her pale； agitated；
distressed； ON THE SOFA IN THE SALON。 One is asked to believe that
she is transported through the airlike an angelby the spirit of
Armand de Fontonelles。 Incredible！〃
〃Well； wot do YOU think？〃 said Dick sharply。
The cafe proprietor looked around him carefully； and then lowered
his voice significantly：
〃A lover！〃
〃A what？〃 said Dick； with a gasp。
〃A lover！〃 repeated Ribaud。 〃You comprehend！ Mademoiselle has no
dot；the property is nothing；the brother has everything。 A
Mademoiselle de Fontonelles cannot marry out of her class； and the
noblesse are all poor。 Mademoiselle is young；pretty； they say；
of her kind。 It is an intolerable life at the old chateau；
mademoiselle consoles herself！〃
Monsieur Ribaud never knew how near he was to the white road below
the railing at that particular moment。 Luckily； Dick controlled
himself； and wisely； as Monsieur Ribaud's next sentence showed him。
〃A romance；an innocent； foolish liaison； if you like；but； all
the same； if known of a Mademoiselle de Fontonelles； a compromising；
a fatal entanglement。 There you are。 Look！ for this； then； all
this story of cock and bulls and spirits！ Mademoiselle has been
discovered with her lover by some one。 This pretty story shall stop
their mouths！〃
〃But wot；〃 said Dick brusquely； 〃wot if the girl was really skeert
at something she'd seen； and fainted dead away； as she said she
did；andand〃he hesitated〃some stranger came along and picked
her up？〃
Monsieur Ribaud looked at him pityingly。
〃A Mademoiselle de Fontonelle is picked up by her servants； by her
family； but not by the young man in the woods； alone。 It is even
more compromising！〃
〃Do you mean to say；〃 said Dick furiously； 〃that the ragpickers and
sneaks that wade around in the slumgallion of this country would
dare to spatter that young gal？〃
〃I mean to say； yes；assuredly； positively yes！〃 said Ribaud；
rubbing his hands with a certain satisfaction at Dick's fury。 〃For
you comprehend not the position of la jeune fille in all France！
Ah！ in America the young lady she go everywhere alone； I have seen
herpretty； charming； fascinatingalone with the young man。 But
here； no； never！ Regard me； my friend。 The French mother； she say
to her daughter's fiance； 'Look！ there is my daughter。 She has
never been alone with a young man for five minutes；not even with
you。 Take her for your wife！' It is monstrous！ it is impossible！
it is so！〃
There was a silence of a few minutes； and Dick looked blankly at
the iron gates of the park of Fontonelles。 Then he said： 〃Give me
a cigar。〃
Monsieur Ribaud instantly produced his cigar case。 Dick took a
cigar； but waved aside the proffered match； and entering the cafe；
took from his pocket the letter to Mademoiselle de Fontonelles；
twisted it in a spiral； lighted it at a candle； lit his cigar with
it； and returning to the veranda held it in his hand until the last
ashes dropped on the floor。 Then he said； gravely； to Ribaud：
〃You've treated me like a white man； Frenchy； and I ain't goin'
back on yerthough your ways ain't my waysnohow； but I reckon in
this yer matter at the shotto you're a little too previous！ For
though I don't as a gin'ral thing take stock in ghosts； I BELIEVE
EVERY WORD THAT THEM FOLK SAID UP THAR。 And；〃 he added； leaning
his hand somewhat heavily on Ribaud's shoulder； 〃if you're the man
I take you for； you'll believe it too！ And if that chap； Armand de
Fontonelles； hadn't hev picked up that gal at that moment； he would
hev deserved to roast in hell another three hundred years！ That's
why I believe her story。 So you'll let these yer Fontonelles keep
their ghosts for all they're worth； and when you next feel inclined
to talk about that girl's LOVER； you'll think of me； and shut your
head！ You hear me； Frenchy； I'm shoutin'！ And don't you forget it！〃
Nevertheless； early the next morning； Monsieur Ribaud accompanied
his guest to the railway station； and parted from him with great
effusion。 On his way back an old…fashioned carriage with a
postilion passed him。 At a sign from its occupant； the postilion
pulled up； and Monsieur Ribaud； bowing to the dust； approached the
window； and the pale； stern face of a dignified； white…haired woman
of sixty that looked from it。
〃Has he gone？〃 said the lady。
〃Assuredly； madame； I was with him at the station。〃
〃And you think no one saw him？〃
〃No one； madame； but myself。〃
〃Andwhat kind of a man was he？〃
Monsieur Ribaud lifted his shoulders； threw out his hands
despairingly； yet with a world of significance； and said：
〃An American。〃
〃Ah！〃
The carriage drove on and entered the gates of the chateau。 And
Monsieur Ribaud； cafe proprietor and Social Democrat； straightened
himself in the dust and shook his fist after it。
A NIGHT ON THE DIVIDE
With the lulling of the wind towards evening it came on to snow
heavily； in straight； quickly succeeding flakes； dropping like
white lances from the sky。 This was followed by the usual Sierran
phenomenon。 The deep gorge； which； as the sun went down； had
lapsed into darkness； presently began to reappear； at first the
vanished trail came back as a vividly whitening streak before them；
then the larches and pines that ascended from it like buttresses
against the hillsides glimmered in ghostly distinctness； until at
last the two slopes curved out of the darkness as if hewn in
marble。 For the sudden storm； which extended scarcely two miles；
had left no trace upon the steep granite face of the high cliffs
above； the snow； slipping silently from them； left them still
hidden in the obscurity of night。 In the vanished landscape the
gorge alone stood out； set in a chaos of cloud and storm through
which the moonbeams struggled ineffectually。
It was this unexpected sight which burst upon the occupants of a
large covered 〃station wagon〃 who had chanced upon the lower end of
the gorge。 Coming from a still lower altitude； they had known
nothing of the storm； which had momentarily ceased； but had left a
record of its intensity in nearly two feet of snow。 For some
moments the horses floundered and struggled on； in what the
travelers believed to be some old forgotten drift or avalanche；
until the extent and freshness of the fall became apparent。 To add
to their difficulties； the storm recommenced； and not comprehending
its real character and limit； they did not dare to attempt to
return the way they came。 To go on； however； was impossible。 In
this quandary they looked about them in vain for some other exit
from the