With Gallic caution she made delicate inquiry of Hector's father as to the yearly returns and probable future of the cooperage business at St.Genevieve, as to the desirability of the surrounding country upon which the cooperage business must base its own fortunes.

All these matters met her approval.

Wherefore, the air of Jeanne became tinged with a certain lofty condescension.

In her own heart she trembled now, not so much as to her own wisdom or her own future, but as to the meeting which must be had between herself and her mistress.
This meeting at last did take place, not by the original motion of Jeanne herself.

The eye of her mistress had not been wholly blind all these days.
"Jeanne," she demanded one day, "why are you away so much when I desire you?
I have often seen you and that young man yonder in very close conversation.