"Our little Nannon was telling me you regretted having to live so far away.

Why should you not come back and occupy your old room?
It is lying empty there, and I would do my very best to make you comfortable, and you would be close to your friends all the time then, instead of having to go across that frightful Coupee." "It is very kind of you, madame," and he stared back at her in much surprise, and found himself wondering what on earth had made her marry such a man as Tom Hamon.

For she was undeniably good-looking and had all a Frenchwoman's knack of making the very best of all she had--abundant black hair, very neatly twisted up at the back of her head; white teeth and full red lips; straight, well-developed figure very neatly dressed; and large black eyes which looked capable of so many things, that they found it difficult to settle for any length of time to any one expression.
"It is very kind of you, madame," said Gard, "but--" and he stood looking at her and hesitating how to put it.
"You mean about Tom," she laughed.

"But that is all past.

I have spoken to him, and he promises to behave himself quite properly if you will come.