'My love?'

'As I believe in the dear Jesus, I will do my best to be a good wife
to you.' Then he took her in his arms, and kissed her close, and
went out of the room with tears streaming down his cheeks. He knew
now that he was in truth a happy man, and that God had been good to
him in this matter of his future wife.



CHAPTER X.

'So your cousin Marie is to be married to Adrian Urmand, the young
linen-merchant at Basle,' said Madame Faragon one morning to George
Voss. In this manner were the first assured tidings of the coming
marriage conveyed to the rival lover. This occurred a day or two
after the betrothal, when Adrian was back at Basle. No one at
Granpere had thought of writing an express letter to George on the
subject. George's father might have done so, had the writing of
letters been a customary thing with him; but his correspondence was
not numerous, and such letters as he did write were short, and
always confined to matters concerning his trade. Madame Voss had,
however, sent a special message to Madame Faragon, as soon as Adrian
had gone, thinking that it would be well that in this way George
should learn the truth.

It had been fully arranged by this time that George Voss was to be
the landlord of the hotel at Colmar on and from the first day of the
following year. Madame Faragon was to be allowed to sit in the