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248 of chivalry—but still, there was nothing to take hold of, for he was perfectly courteous to her. But she had nothing more to say about her intimacy with the old royalist families, and when Farebrother boldly avowed himself a firm believer in the French republic, Madame de Fonblanque did not sigh and say, "Ah, if you had ancestors who died for Louis and Charles and Louis Philippe, you would not love the republic," as she had done when Letty advanced the same view. In short, Madame de Fonblanque had met her match.

As soon as supper was over she excused herself and went to her room for an hour or two. She really felt depressed and unequal to keeping up the strain any longer at that time. The Colonel tramped down to the stable in the snow, to see that Tom Battercake had made the horses comfortable for the night; and Miss Jemima always remained an hour in the dining room after every meal, in close confabulation with the cook. Letty and Farebrother went alone to the library.

The lamps were lighted, but the fire needed a vigorous poking, which Letty proceeded to administer, going down on her knees. Farebrother, who knew better than to interfere,