But the well still remained their old friend.

It was such an excellent pretext for meeting! Justin, who watched Miette's every movement, never suspected the cause of her eagerness to go and draw some water every morning.

At times, he saw her from the distance, leaning over and loitering.

"Ah! the lazy thing!" he muttered; "how fond she is of dawdling about!" How could he suspect that, on the other side of the wall, there was a wooer contemplating the girl's smile in the water, and saying to her: "If that red-haired donkey Justin should illtreat you, just tell me of it, and he shall hear from me!" This amusement lasted for more than a month.

It was July then; the mornings were sultry; the sun shone brightly, and it was quite a pleasure to come to that damp spot.