The young woman, who had hastened to the door with laughing mien, became grave and covertly hostile at sight of the visitor's cassock.

The priest thereupon realised that he must give his name: "I am Abbe Pierre Froment." At this the young woman's smile of welcome came back to her.

"Oh! I beg your pardon, monsieur--I ought to have recognised you, for I saw you wish Guillaume good day one morning as you passed." She said Guillaume; she, therefore, must be Marie.

And Pierre looked at her in astonishment, finding her very different from what he had imagined.

She was only of average height, but she was vigorously, admirably built, broad of hip and broad of shoulder, with the small firm bosom of an amazon.