He took up his porcelain pipe and filled it from the blue packet of caporal that lay on the table with the oilskin cover. He struck a match and was about to apply it to the bowl, when one of his sudden ideas caused him to blow out the match and lay down the pipe. Then with his old lightning swiftness he strode to the door and flung it open.
"Blanquette! Blanquette!" he cried.
"Oui, maître," came from the kitchen, and in a moment Blanquette entered the room.
He took her by the hand and led her to the centre, while she regarded him somewhat mystified. With his heels together, he made her a correct bow.
"Blanquette," said he, "in the presence of Asticot as witness I ask you to do me the honour to become my wife."
It was magnificent; it was what Paragot would have called vieille école; but it was not tactful. It was half an hour before Blanquette fully grasped the situation.
CHAPTER XXIII
Joanna married Major Walters, as soon as the conventionalities would permit.
She wrote then, for the first time, to Paragot.