She ground her own flour, and from that time business increased considerably.
Feeling capable of carrying out large undertakings, and, moreover, desirous of giving up the meannesses of retail trade, Madame Desvarennes, one fine day, sent in a tender for supplying bread to the military hospitals.

It was accepted, and from that time the house ranked among the most important.

On seeing the Desvarennes take their daring flight, the leading men in the trade had said: "They have system and activity, and if they do not upset on the way, they will attain a high position." But the mistress seemed to have the gift of divination.

She worked surely--if she struck out one way you might be certain that success was there.

In all her enterprises, "good luck" stood close by her; she scented failures from afar, and the firm never made a bad debt.