Clarisse was standing there in her riding-habit, where the negro had stood. For an instant confusion reigned in Alcée's thoughts, as with one who awakes suddenly from a dream. But he felt that something of serious import had brought his cousin to the ball in the dead of night. "W'at does this mean, Clarisse?" he asked. "It means something has happen' at home. You mus' come." "Happened to maman?" he questioned, in alarm. "No; nénaine is well, and asleep. It is something else. Not to frighten you. But you mus' come. Come with me, Alcée." There was no need for the imploring note. He would have followed the voice anywhere. She had now recognized the girl sitting back on the bench. "Ah, c'est vous, Calixta? Comment ça va, mon enfant?" "Tcha va b'en; et vous, mam'zélle?" Alcée swung himself over the low rail and started to follow Clarisse, without a word, without a glance back at the girl. He had forgotten he was leaving her there. But Clarisse whispered something to him, and he turned back to say "Good-night, Calixta," and offer his hand to press through the railing. She pretended not to see it. * * * * * "How come that? You settin' yere by yo'se'f, Calixta?" It was Bobinôt who had found her there alone. The dancers had not yet come out. She looked ghastly in the faint, gray light struggling out of the east. "Yes, that's me. Go yonda in the _parc aux petits_ an' ask Aunt Olisse fu' my hat. She knows w'ere 't is. I want to go home, me." "How you came?" "I come afoot, with the Cateaus. But I'm goin' now. I ent goin' wait fu' 'em. I'm plumb we' out, me." "Kin I go with you, Calixta?" "I don' care." They went together across the open prairie and along the edge of the fields, stumbling in the uncertain light. He told her to lift her dress that was getting wet and bedraggled; for she was pulling at the weeds and grasses with her hands. "I don' care; it's got to go in the tub, anyway. You been say in' all along you want to marry me, Bobinôt. Well, if you want, yet, I don' care, me." The glow of a sudden and overwhelming happiness shone out in the brown, rugged face of the young Acadian. He could not speak, for very joy. It choked him. "Oh well, if you don' want," snapped Calixta, flippantly, pretending to be piqued at his silence. "_Bon Dieu!_ You know that makes me crazy, w'at you sayin'. You mean that, Calixta? You ent goin' turn roun' agin?" "I neva tole you that much _yet_, Bobinôt. I mean that. _Tiens_," and she held out her hand in the business-like manner of a man who clinches a bargain with a hand-clasp. Bobinôt grew bold with happiness and asked Calixta to kiss him. She turned her face, that was almost ugly after the night's dissipation, and looked steadily into his. "I don' want to kiss you, Bobinôt," she said, turning away again, "not to-day. Some other time. _Bonté divine!_ ent you satisfy, _yet_!" "Oh, I'm satisfy, Calixta," he said. * * * * *