The Hickman courier., 1873-10-11

door, which at no opening brought hin
any relief.
After the diligence had been gone
some twenty minutes, and Laura had
got into state of fidgets which threat
ened to pass all control, the landlord
and head-waiter came into the room
looked at the little boy, and then talked
together volubly IN a whisper, looked
at the boy again, and shook their heads
in mysterious manner. Then the
landlord advanced straight to where we
were sitting.
"A thousand pardons for asking the
question, but do monsieur and madame
know anything of the little gentleman
yonder.
"No, nothing beyond that monsieur
and madame passed the little gentle
man and his father as they ascended
the pass"
els monsieur aware that his father
is an Englishman ?"
Well, monsieur had guessed as much,
! bat could not say moro.
- wen, IL is very strange. 1t is some
time since these two arrived. The father
engaged aroom and ordered supper. The
father had said that his luggage would
be deposited by the diligence but the
diligence had come and gone, and
though particular inquiries were made,
the conductor was quite sure that there
was no luggage, such as had been de
scribed, to be deposited at this hotel.
There must have been some mis-
take
"Not possible The authorities are
very particular in these cases. And
where is NJ. le Pere ?"
"Gone to sleep in his chamber, pro-
badly, I suggested.
But not at all. It is empty. There
is nothing whatever in it. In fact, the
gentleman was seen 10 leave the hotel
the moment after he had ordered sup
per and given instructions about bag
gage, and had not returned.
Laura was watching the uncompalin-
ing child. The large blue eyes were
directed towards us, as if guessing
that ne was The object OF our conversa-
ton She could not restrain herself !
any longer, and she arose from her seat |
and went up to the child. He shrank a
little, 1 thought, as she approached +; |
bat there was something about her face |
which speedily rN0sured him.
"You are a little English boy, are |
You not % she said, as she sat down be- |
side him.
He murmered, Yes" But 1 could
see working in the little white throat
the poor tired manikin was striving
brAvely to keep down his tears.
81 You want your supper, do you
not?" asked Laura, as with one hand
she stroked the golden curls. You
are very tired, and ought to have
your supper and 60 to bed. Where is
papa? Was not that your papa who
brought you here ="
50 Yes, my papa brought me here and
he said we were TO have something to
came back. Very quietly, he told me,
and he should soon be back.
"Would you not like to have your
supper at once 2" said Laura. ''Your
papa is taking a longer walk than he in
tended, and he will be very sorry that
you should be so hungry. Shall l not
ask that gentleman pointing to the
landlord, who had come mp to the ta-
BILE to bring you something to eat
at once p
"No, thank you I must wait for
my papa.
Entreaties and coaxing were all III
vain and Laura, fearful of distressing
him still more, left him alone and re-
sumed her seat b@0ne.
Nearly another hour passed away,
Laura insisted on remaining in the room,
and we listlessly studied the Livre
des Etrangers.
By and by the silence of the dark
corner was broken. The courage OF the
gallant little mite had given away he
was sobbingas if his heart would break.
Laura had him in her arms in a mo-
ment.
go papa papa ?" he cried, in his bit
ter agony. 80 papa how could Jon
leave me so long alonel O papa
come back, come back y
Above his low, sad wall L heard the
sound of persons entering the hotel,
and then there was busy hum of
voices, and a minute or two afterwards
the landlord, with a strange expression
on his face, looked in at the door and
/, -, lu of IA
room. There, at the entrance of the
hotel, l found the walters and other
people gathered. Three peasants had
Just come in, bringing with them some
thing they had found, something which
lay in a disfgured heap on the ground.
They had found this body of man,
I was quickly told, at the bottom of
low cliff about quarter of a mile from
the hotel Then they uncovered the
face, and at once recognized the man
whom Laura and had passed on the
ascent. Then, as cold shiver passed
over me, heard cry from within the
loom 1 had left.
My papa has come back, know he
udS d14uy DcAOAC VI OOuAO IL
terfere, the door of the saue n10nger
was thrown open, and the pallid, weep
ing child tottered out. followed hastily
by Laura.
"Where is papa; L know he is here p
And, checking his violent sobs, he
looked eagerly at the solemn faces
around him.
"Why won't you tell where papa is ?
o what's that upo1 the foor?" Then,
before any one could stop him, he cast
himself down and laid his cheek by the
cold, white lips that never more could
kiss him, or breathe word OF love into
his ear.
Gentle hands raised him softly, aud
bore him away to the room the dead man
had prepared, and laid him down upon
the bed. He seemed TO know his own
utter dissolution, and the paroxysm OF
grief was strangely stilled. Laura re-
NAMED with him all night and when
- Al. l.