an upstart as that, a puny, miserable creature, come between him and
the only thing that he had ever seen in the guise of a woman that
could touch his heart? He turned round with his back to the table
and his face to the stove, and said nothing. But he was able, when
he no longer saw her, when her voice was not sounding in his ear, to
swear that the thunderbolt should be hurled all the same. His
journey to Granpere should not be made for nothing. 'I must go
now,' she said presently. 'I shall see you at supper, shall I not,
George, when Uncle will be with us? Uncle Michel will be so
delighted to find you. And you will tell us of the new doings at
the hotel. Good-bye for the present, George.' Then she was gone
before he had spoken another word.

He eat his dinner, and smoked a cigar about the yard, and then said
that he would go out and meet his father. He did go out, but did
not take the road by which he knew that his father was to be found.
He strolled off to the ravine, and came back only when it was dark.
The meeting between him and his father was kindly; but there was no
special word spoken, and thus they all sat down to supper.



CHAPTER XII.

It became necessary as George Voss sat at supper with his father and
Madame Voss that he should fix the time of his return to Colmar, and
he did so for the early morning of the next day but one. He had
told Madame Faragon that he expected to stay at Granpere but one
night. He felt, however, after his arrival that it might be
difficult for him to get away on the following day, and therefore he