the polished flooring. As in concerted movement Madame de Sévénié, Eve
de Montalais, the curé and Duchemin approached, his cool, intelligent,
good-humoured glance surveyed them swiftly, each in turn, and with
unerring instinct settled on the first as the one to whom he must
address himself.

But the bow with which he also acknowledged the presence of Eve was
hardly less profound; Duchemin himself, at his best, could hardly have
bettered it. His manner, in fact, left nothing to be desired; and the
French in which immediately he begged a thousand pardons for the
intrusion was so admirable that it seemed hard to believe he was the
same man who had, only a few hours earlier, composedly traded the slang
of the States with a chauffeur in front of the Café de l'Univers.

Mr. Phinuit was desolated to think he might be imposing on madame's
good nature, but the accident was positive, the night truly inclement,
madame la comtesse was already suffering from the cold, and if one
might beg shelter for her and the gentlemen of the party while one
telephoned or sent to Nant for another automobile....

But monsieur might feel very sure Madame de Sévénié would never forgive
herself if the hospitality of the Château de Montalais failed at such a
time. She would send servants to the car at once with lights, wraps,
umbrellas....

There was no necessity for that. The remainder of the party had, it
seemed, presumed upon her courtesy in anticipation, and was not far
from the heels of its ambassador. Even while madame was speaking, Jean
was opening the great front doors to those who proved--formal
introductions being duly effect by Mr. Phinuit--to be Madame la