Her admiration showed so plainly in her honest eyes that the madame was
inwardly amused, as well as pleased, yet not at all discomfited, for she
had been used to admiration all her life.

"What is the book you read, my dear young lady, may I ask?" she said
presently.

"It is Hugh Miller's 'Testimony of the Rocks,'" answered Sara.

"So?" It was the French lady's turn to look undisguised astonishment.
"And does it for you have interest then?"

"Yes, indeed; did you ever read it? Don't you think it is wonderful how
those long-buried veins of rock are made to tell us God's own plans and
workings? I can never see a cliff that I don't begin to wonder how it
was formed, and what secrets it may contain. I am like baby with his
toys," smiling till her dimples deepened, "I want to break it in pieces
and find out how it was made!"

"But that is joost like my Leon! Always he goes about with his hammer
tapping, tapping, at every bit of stone. Is it then that you, too, are a
geologist?"

"Oh, no, not that! I do not know enough, only sometimes I find a
specimen; I have a few inside, if you would care to see them?"

"Indeed I care," rising at once; and when she stood before the well-
filled shelves we have before mentioned, she cried out in astonishment,--