her, but I've always loved her," answered Luc. Then he raised his voice
excitedly: "I love her, love her, love her--but what's the good! She'd
never 've been happy with me. Look what my love drove her to! What's
the good, at all!"

"She said she did not love you then, Luc Michee," said Parpon,
interrupting. "Luc Michee, you're a fool as well as a sinner.
Speak up, Junie."

"I used to tell him that I didn't love him; I only liked him. I was
honest. Well, I am honest still. I love him now."

A sound of joy broke from Luc's lips, and he stretched out his arms to
her, but the Cure; stopped that. "Not here," he said. "Your sins must
first be considered. For penance--" He paused, looking at the two sad
yet happy beings before him. The deep knowledge of life that was in him
impelled him to continue gently:

"For penance you shall bear the remembrance of each other's sins. And
now to God the Father--" He turned towards the altar, and raised his
hands in the ascription.

As he knelt to pray before he entered the pulpit, he heard the tinkling
of the little bell of honour at the knee of Luc, as Junie and Parpon
helped him from the church.




A SON OF THE WILDERNESS