.

HIS GREATEST ASSET.
Jean Jacques did not go to the house of the widow of Palass Poucette "next day" as he had proposed: and she did not expect him.

She had seen his flour-mill burned to the ground on the-evening when they met in the office of the Clerk of the evening Court, when Jean Jacques had learned that his Zoe had gone into farther and farther places away from him.
Perhaps Virginie Poucette never had shed as many tears in any whole year of her life as she did that night, not excepting the year Palass Poucette died, and left her his farm and seven horses, more or less sound, and a threshing-machine in good condition.

The woman had a rare heart and there was that about Jean Jacques which made her want to help him.

She had no clear idea as to how that could be done, but she had held his hand at any rate, and he had seemed the better for it.