Uncle Gaspard came out presently. "Wouldn't you like to have a flower garden?" he asked.
"What is here?" She put out her small moccasined toe toward a rather stiff-looking plot of green plants.
"Oh, that is Mère Lunde's garden of herbs. All manner of things for potage, and the making of sundry remedies in which she has great faith. She will look after that."
"Oh, then, I will have a garden!" she cried joyfully.
It was only a short distance to the priest's house, where the classes met. She ran off by herself. There was quite a throng of girls, though, as with most of the early Western settlers, education was not esteemed the one thing needful for girls. To make good wives was the greatest attainment they could achieve. Still, Father Lemoine labored with perseverance at the tillage of their brains on the two afternoons, and the tillage of their souls on Saturday.
After the two hours were over the restless children had a run up to the Fort. The Guions there were Madame Renaud's relatives. There was a great thicket of roses that covered the line of palings, and some ladies were having refreshments under a sort of arbor, little cakes and glasses of wine much diluted with water.
"Oh, yes, come in," exclaimed Sophie as Renée hung back. "You have been here before, you needn't feel strange."
That was true enough. Then she had been Sophie's guest. Now she had a curious hesitation.
Elise was going around courtesying to the ladies, and answering their inquiries. Sophie stooped to play with the cat. An old lady nearest Renée handed her a plate of small spiced cakes.
"You have gone to Monsieur Denys," she said in a soft tone. "He is--" raising her eyes in inquiry.
"He is my uncle." Renée made a graceful little courtesy as she said this, and thanked the lady for the cake.
"I suppose M. Denys means to settle down now," said another. "It is high time. He ought to marry. There is nothing like a good wife."
"That will come along," and another nodded with a mysterious but merry smile. "That is why he is smartening up so. And he has brought some elegant stuffs from Canada to dress her in when he gets her. Madame Aubrey was in yesterday and bought of him a gown for Genevieve. He was showing her some finery that would adorn a bride. I think we shall hear before long."