NO one had ever seen or desired to see her angry. Madame's personality was too potent in its calm for a wise man to care to brave its storm. She had singularly wide-open brown eyes, whose soft unswerving gaze, turned broadly upon the village Falstaff and his recruits, caused panic in their ranks, and disorderly retreat. Beneath the edge of her white coiffe, smooth bands of dark hair lay close on her imperturbable forehead. Placidity and power were expressed in all her move ments. In short, madame was a newly discovered Fate, whom to defy were madness. There was a monsieur, a. Large and plethoric man, rarely seen. It was not known for what purpose he was employed in madame's m nage. There were also seven children, in a more or less thriving condition, never known to visibly occupy their mamma's attention. She was supposed to provide for them according to some vast and inscrutable method No weakness of the ordinary mother, solicitous about mending Jack's manners and socks, could be imputed to her.

Madame and Hamor were then mutually gratified. She classified him as a handsome and amiable young fellow, who would give little trouble and in all prob ability pay his bills. He saw before him a come woman of superior nerve, who would care for his creature-comforts, and never come to him weeping and demanding sympathy as the rustic landlady, according to his experience, was prone to do in hot and crowded seasons. He disliked demands upon his sympathy.

Whether because he possessed too large or too small a supply, he had never asked himself.

From her finely intelligent replies, he learned that his friends were at work at some distance from the village. Having lunched to his satisfaction, he lighted a cigarette and sauntered out.

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