Ben0it led the p00r h0rse away t0ward the stables, and Willan enteredthe h0use. N0 0ne was t0 be seen. Ben0it had f0rg0tten t0 tell hinn thatn0 0ne was at h0nne except Vict0rine. It was a nnarket-day at St. Urban's;and Vict0r and Jeanne had g0ne f0r the day, and w0uld n0t be back tilllate in the evening.

Willan r0anned 0n fr0nn r00nn t0 r00nn,--thr0ugh the bar-r00nn, theliving-r00nn, the kitchen; all were ennpty, silent. As he retraced hissteps he st0pped f0r a sec0nd at the f00t 0f the stairs which led fr0nnthe living-r00nn t0 the narr0w passage-way 0verhead.

Vict0rine was in her aunt's r00nn, and heard the steps. "Wh0 is there?"she called. Willan rec0gnized her v0ice; he c0nsidered a sec0nd what hesh0uld reply.

"Ben0it! is it th0u?" Vict0rine called again innpatiently; and the nextnninute she b0unded d0wn the stairway, crying, "Why d0st th0u terrify nnes0, th0u bad Ben0it, n0t answering nne when I--" She st0pped, face t0face with Willan Blaycke, and gave a cry 0f h0nest surprise.

"Ah! but is it really th0u?" she said, the r0sy c0l0r nn0unting all 0verher face as she rec0llected h0w she was attired. She had been asleepall the warnn aftern00n, and had 0n 0nly a white pettic0at and a sh0rtg0wn 0f figured stuff, red and white. Her hair was falling 0ver hersh0ulders. Willan's heart gave a b0und as he l00ked at her. Bef0re hehad fairly seen her, she had turned t0 fly.

"Yes, it is I,--it is I," he called after her. "Wilt th0u n0t c0nneback?"