"Of Marie Gourdon, all you tell me is most satisfactory. When first I
sent her to fight her way in the world, I had fears. In her profession
there are so many evil influences to contend with that, in spite of
her undoubted talent, I hesitated before letting her go. But I need
not have feared. Marie Gourdon has one of those pure white souls----"

"Perhaps I had better not go on?" said Eugène, smiling.

Marie nodded and murmured half to herself--"Dear M. Bois-le-Duc, I am
glad to hear he thinks so well of me. Please continue."

"--one of those pure white souls that can pass through the fire of any
temptation and come out purer, stronger, holier. She has doubly repaid
me for any pains I took with her education. Long ago she insisted on
returning the money spent on her training, and every year regularly,
she sends me two hundred dollars to be spent on the poor suffering
pilgrims, who come to the church at Father Point. Yes, I am justly
proud of two of my pupils; the disappointment I suffer because of the
conduct of the third only serves to heighten the contrast. I beg of
you never to mention his name again to me. Never allude to Noël
McAllister in your letters in the slightest way. The manner in which
he treated----"

Here Lacroix hesitated, grew very red and lost his place.

Marie, observing his distress, remarked placidly: "Please go on, I do not
mind; that is all a closed page in my history."

"The manner in which he treated," continued Lacroix, "that poor girl
was unpardonable. At an age, too, when she should have