repeat the wonder over and over again. It certainly was a very
curious thing. He had always known his ointment was effective,
but--as to making hair grow on a hen--that was quite another
thing. He was just petrified by it.

Mother Etienne told Germaine to serve some good cider, and all
three drank to one another's healths.

"That is not all," said Mother Etienne, "I want you to have a
share in my good fortune. That's only fair. You have worked all
your life, you must think of taking a rest. You have certainly
earned it. Here is a check for $2,000 which my lawyer, M. La
Plume, will cash for you. This sum, together with what you have
saved, will be enough to buy a little house and garden and to keep
you from want. If one is wise and knows how to manage, one can
live here for very little."

Father Gusson, quite upset and touched, could not find words to
thank dear, kind Mother Etienne. It was as though he had
unexpectedly won the big prize in the lottery. He could hardly
believe his eyes and ears.

Soon he pulled himself together and began to calculate.

"I have a few savings, it is true, but I think it would be wise to
take advantage of the fame of the ointment and double my small
fortune. I hope that, thanks to the already widespread fame of
Yollande, if (with your kind permission) I were to call my
ointment, 'Ointment of the Curly-Haired Hen' I should have
considerable success."