The summer passed sadly, being hot and uneventful. She watchedanxiously for the first yellowed leaves, and the first gathering ofthe swallows, and blooming of the chrysanthemums. She wrote to Yannseveral times by the boats bound for Rykawyk, and by the governmentcruisers, but one never can be sure of such letters reaching theirdestination.

　　Towards the end of July, she received a letter from him, however. Hetold her that his health was good, that the fishing season promised tobe excellent, and that he already had 1500 fish for his share. Frombeginning to end, it was written in the simple conventional way of allthese Icelanders' home letters. Men educated like Yann completelyignore how to write the thousand things they think, feel, or fancy.

　　Being more cultivated than he, Gaud could understand this, and readbetween the lines that deep affection that was unexpressed. Severaltimes in the four-paged letter, he called her by the title of "wife,"as if happy in repeating the word. And the address above: "/A MadameMarguerite Gaos, maison Moan, en Ploubazlanec/"--she was "MadameMarguerite Gaos" since so short a time.

　　She worked hard during these summer months. The ladies of Paimpol had,at first, hardly believed in her talent as an amateur dressmaker,saying her hands were too fine-ladyish; but they soon perceived thatshe excelled in making dresses that were very nice-fitting, so she hadbecome almost a famous dressmaker.

　　She spent all her earnings in embellishing their home against hisreturn. The wardrobe and old-shelved beds were all done up afres............