the house, but in a dark alley ran almost into the arms of a tall, black-clad figure, who first seized his opponent mechanically, but, releasing her immediately, bowed low in the darkness, murmuring reproachfully,—
"O mademoiselle, what imprudence!"
"Imprudence, father!" exclaimed a hard and shrill voice, differing as much from Valerie's cooing tones as a cat-bird's from a linnet's: "I only ran down the garden for a breath of fresh air, after stitching away in my own room all the evening. What imprudence, mon père?"
"It is always imprudent to take the night air, and you need your rest for the journey to-morrow," replied the abbé composedly as he passed on, leaving the perplexed and somewhat indignant governess to her own meditations.
"Is he also following Monsieur Gaston?" murmured she: "he never would dare upbraid him, no matter in what peccadillo he discovered him! Can it be that Monsieur François is astray to-night? Is Mademoiselle Valerie safely housed? Truly this is a night of adventure, a night of interest, a night such as does not often come to this stupid old château! I will stay out until the priest and Monsieur Gaston return: they must pass this way."
Wrapping herself more closely in her mantle as she whispered this resolve, Adèle accordingly settled her self upon a well-shaded garden-bench, and remained motionless; quite unconscious that the priest, after passing her by a few yards, had stopped, and bent his acute ear to listen for her return into the house. Find-
