eagerly to Sabron. 

 "Really, it was just that," answered the young officer, not knowing how significant the words were to the two ladies. 

 Then Madame d'Esclignac knew that she was beaten and that she owed something and was ready to pay. The chauffeur got up on his seat and she asked suavely: 

 "Won't you let us take you home, Monsieur Sabron?" 

 He thanked them. He was walking and had not finished his exercise. 

 "At all events," she pursued, "now that your excuse is no longer a good one, you will come this week to dinner, will you not?" 

 He would, of course, and watched the yellow motor drive away in the autumn sunlight, wishing rather less for the order from the minister of war to change his quarters than he had before. 

 CHAPTER VI ORDERED AWAY 

 He had received his letter from the minister of war. Like many things we wish for, set our hopes upon, when they come we find that we do not want them at any price. The order was unwelcome. Sabron was to go to Algiers. 

 Winter is never very ugly around Tarascon. Like a lovely bunch of fruit in the brightest corner of a happy vineyard, the Midi is sheltered from the rude experiences that the seasons know farther north. Nevertheless, rains and winds, sea-born and vigorous, had swept in and upon the little town. The mistral came whistling and Sabron, from his window, looked down on his little garden from which summer had entirely flown. Pitchouné, by his side, looked down as well, but his expression, different from his master's, was ecstatic, for he saw, sliding along the brick wall, a cat with which he was on the most excited terms. His body tense, his ears forward, he gave a sharp series of barks and little soft growls, while his master tapped the window-pane to the tune of Miss Redmond's song. 

 Although Sabron had heard it several times, he did not know the words or that they were of a semi-religious, extremely sentimental character which would have been difficult to translate into French. He did not know that they ran something like this: 

   "God keep you safe, my love, All through the night; Rest close in His encircling arms Until the light." 

 And there was more of it. He 

 Prev. P 10/96 next