Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1852-09-29
VIII you be my servant p
GNTy I,,+;o., ~


MY duties I! was the reply.
To attend punctually to whatever may see
iit to command you short of doing bodily Id.
jury to yourself to be at YOUR post always
and to keep all secrets which NAV come to
your knowledge as sacred and as silent as The
tomb. Can you do it p
Ha ha ha ? laughed the little Frencbmsn
immoderatelY
Why what means this, Levere,' said Allan.
trying to laugh, do you mock me IF Won
depart O"' y" can
Pardonnez, Monsieur. for I was pleased.
but can do it all see,' and he laid on the T.,
Die before the bewildered eyes of Allan brace
OF heavy pistols
Tia ! said Allan. you are a fine fellow
been engaged in sport before, see. You saw
you gan comply with my requirements +: bnt
let me know what / must pay you.'
Gold GOLD ? screamed the little French
man in so shrill and thrilling a voice that Al
an's hands started to his ears to shut ont tbe
piercing cry Of Gold GOLD
How much {? eagerly inquired Allan.
Lots Of it-of Gold GoLDp
1t seemed that this was the secret sprinU in
the little Frenchman's character; for when #
was mentioned and he seemed to see in tbe
distance prospect Of wealth from the prom
lsed lucrative service, his eyes sparkled with
rapture and he run his slender fingers through
the grey locks that hung over his forehead.
while ne danced over the floor SHOUTING in his
peculiar piping tone Gold! GoLDp # spom-
ed to be the God he worshipped.
What shall be the price-A hundred .
year 3 asked Allan. :
Thousands! thousands of Gold! GerD !,
Bah Get out said Allan you're iokino j,
thousands thousands of GocdI Corn !
and my own price Cor special OCCASIONS
Get out with your extravaganza said Al
Ian, feigning displeasure, Win not give = ,
lie Gazette ? said the Frencbman with =
look that Allan could not misconstrun nc h.
handed him the. paper from the desk on which
was written the test secret and pointinc at tbis
Levere said : lie Gazette, Monsieur Vino.
held, lie Gazette 3
Allan seated himself in chair and hrr;od
his face in his hands and sat for some minntoa
IN deep reflection meanwhile Levere was leans
ing far back in his seat with his twinklino ovos
liked on the wall, evidently waiting the answer
from Wingfeld. WV ans p" ef
Alter some mnutesspent in this silent mood
Allan handed Levcre paper and told him to
hgure down the lowest sum at which his cor
vices could be obtained for. Thisbe done and
handed 1t back with a careless air. The en,
was very large and required to be paid inmontb-
~ installments. AS much as Allan wantod
the services of this strange being he soomod
unwilling to give the exorbitant sum he reonir.
ed, and for sometime he caviled with tho
Frenchman respecting this, but he found him
TO 'FrsygfesF sfrdugo-rfs t srtfo1r no {
This was a mystery to Allan, and not only
this; for he could not understand why Mon
sieur Rudolph Levere should wish service in
any form for he seemed to be we'll dressed
and have no need Of a means of subsistence
all this was a mystery to Allan Wingfeld, but
he cared or thought little about mystery SO
bent was he upon securing. him as cOnfiden-
| tal servant.
You say, Rudolph Levere, that for the sum
YOU stipuiate here youwill serve me in any way
or manner may direct, short Of doing bodily
injury to yourself
'And my own price. for extra OCCASIONS ad
ded Levere.
'Wcll grant that too, extortioner, what else?
'Capital-Gold GOLD said the French
man, and he seized the paper on which he haC
written the test secret and underneath he drew
in the same quaint aud finished style, a con
tract, binding Allan to what he had said ant
TequeSlGu HlIl w Sl9 IL ''lld tAlCI ooLC lieS
tation he done so. The Frenchman was quic
to write his agreement and sign it, then handin
it to his newly made master. The bonds Q
: this strange contract We're exchanged. Th
little Frenchman stood in the middle of th
room and slight flush was on his checks, h
eyes looked wild and savage, his voice VIZ
shrl ard searching, as he laid one hand on h
breast, and with the other clutched the pist
he had laid on the table, saying at the san
, times
'As my name isRudolph Levere, l am yol
servant; and when prove traitor to your i
!, terests, Allan Wingield, may the name Al
:" memory ofRudolph Levere perish in the eartt
D Allan assigned his servant to a room in t
= mansion where he bid him make his home al
. bide further orders and whether agreeable
:, not he was ordered not to murmur against an
. thing short of bodily injury that might De i
posed upon him.