She did not even wait to speak to Gustave; a shower began to fall from the heavens, and her grass-green hat marked her face with grass-green tints the reverse of becoming as she hurried down the avenue. The woman at the lodge laughed as she saw her, but she was good-natured and did not want to see anyone in trouble. "Madame la Comtesse and _la petite_ Comtesse Margot are out," she said. "I knew well you would have your walk for nothing; but behold! you shall enter my humble dwelling. Le chapeau, why it is a figure of fun. Where did you buy it, Mam'selle?" Louise was too cross to reply, but she was not too cross to accept the shelter of the little lodge which was offered to her. She was not there two or three minutes before who should walk in but Madame. Madame la Comtesse looked very charming. She stared fixedly at Louise and Louise sprang to her feet. "I must speak to you," she said. "I must talk words all alone." "I mind not," said la Comtesse. "You will leave us, Susette!" "Then listen--you are a lying woman," said Louise, "and your granddaughter, she serves in the _établissement_ of Madame Marcelle. Behold for yourself, she sold me this chapeau!" "Never, never!" cried Madame. "But we will prove it. Come with me now in my motor-car to the _établissement_ of Madame Marcelle. She tells the truth in very deed." Louise did not seem to mind, a pleased smile wreathed her face. "You are the daughter of Grognan, the restaurant-keeper," remarked Madame. "I am, I make no bones about it. I am proud of it, and of _mon père_." "In that you are right," exclaimed Madame. "Ah, how quickly we move, and the rain falls in torrents. _Ma petite_ Comtesse, _ma chère petite_ Comtesse is now enjoying her lessons of the French. I do not recognize that chapeau as one belonging to the _établissement_ of Madame Marcelle." "It was your granddaughter sold it to me," said Louise. "That is impossible," said Madame, calmly, "but we will soon find out. What were you doing in the lodge belonging to the château?" "The woman gave me shelter," said Louise. "I had gone to acquaint M. le Comte with the fact that you kept a shop and _la petite_ Comtesse was the little shopkeeper." "And you saw _mon_ Alphonse?" "Ah, _oui, oui_," cried Louise, beginning to enjoy herself. Madame pulled the check-string and desired the chauffeur to fly--to put on all the speed possible. Soon they reached the _établissement_. "Who sold this chapeau to Mademoiselle Grognan?" enquired la Comtesse. "I did," said Madame Marcelle. "She has not paid for it yet." "I admit no debts in the _établissement_," exclaimed Madame la Comtesse. "Madame Marcelle, why did you allow such an ugly thing into _le magasin_?" "It came by mistake," replied the poor, confused Madame. "The mademoiselle liked it and I sold it to her. I only charged her forty francs, for I thought it so ugly."