The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-07-10

sore strait. No one but Captain
Branscombe may accompany you, or
know of your errand; you must bring
with you fifty pounds in gold, if posi-
BILE. English money will do, but not
notes. Your escort will only be little
chila, but he knows every turn of the
way you will have to traverse. Come
on foot--to drive might excite suspicion.
Monsieur repeats no one but Ralph
may come with you; he is too i'll to
write any thing more than his name,
which | inclose.'
Here followed few directions about
the way we were to take, and an iniunc-
ton to bring the letter to guide myself
with. Then the name "Maria Tois-
seau." Enclosed was scrap of paper
bearing my brothers. signature, which
| saw at once was genuine.
1 turned cold as | finished the perusal
of this letter, but, commanding my
voice as well as was able, babe the
! servant send the bearer to me at once.
l was not left long in suspense; the
door of the salon soon reopened, and a
little figure appeared on the threshold.
A fragile-looking boy, about eleven
years Of age, dressed in dark blouse,
which hung loosely about him, and
wearing on his head red knitted fish
erman's cap, which was pulled down
low on his forehead-a boy whose pale
face was lighted up with large dark
eyes, their long, dropping lashes sweep
| Ing us sioliossso ohoelzs- Ho shut the
door softly behind him, and gave a
swift searching glance around the room ;
then, as though abashed by my presence,
he stood with downcast eyes, and his
hands loosely folded before him, await
ing my questioning.
"My boy" 1 said, addressing him in
French, scan you conduct me to this
gentleman who is so ill?"
Again his dark eyes wandered about
the room, as though to reassure himself
that we were alone, and then he replied
softly in English, though with foreign
accent.
"Surely, madame, 1 will; but it must
be with all speed, or it will be lost
Journey"
Telling him to wait for me where he
was, left the room, and fastened to
prepare for my expedition. My heart
sank within me at the idea of venturing
out into the night with no other protec-
tor than the little child waiting below
but nerved myself to perform the duty
felt had fallen across my path, and
made up my mind to act as became a
soldiers wife-fearlessly. had about
thirty sovereigns in my possession, as it
happened and making up the sum re-
quired as nearly as l could in French
money, I placed it carefully in small
bag, which hung on my arm. Dress
ing myself in dark bonnet and travel
ing cloak, 1 descended quietly to my
apartment, without giving intimation of
my departure to any one. The child
stood precisely as had left him, with
the light falling on his pale face, and his
hands loosely locked in one another. l
told him was ready to start, and walked
to the table by which 1 had been sitting
to get the letter the woman had written,
and which had caused me so much anx-
! iety.
The boy then approached me, and,
taking my hand in his cold ones, said,
in whisper, as his piteous eyes filed
with tears:
Madame, the gentleman babe me
say to you, for the love of Heaven, and
for the sake of your dead mother, bring
the money"
showed him the little sack 1 carried
under my cloak, and he was satisfied /;
we then left the hotel silently, scarcely
noticed by the servants busted about the
entrance-hall. Once out in the open
air, seemed to breathe more freely;
but my heart was too heavy for speak
ing, and we pursued our way in silence.
The noise of the traffic, the light of
the shops streaming across our path,
and the number of foot-passengers pass
ing and repassing us, bewildered me at
first, all unaccustomed as was to walk
ing through the streets so late; but we
pressed steadily on through the ever
changing crowd, and people seemed too
intent on their own business to take
much heed of two wayfarers like our
selves. After time we turned into a
less frequented part of the town, and
the lights became less brilliant and the
streets more deserted. Suddenly the
boy stopped, and seemed uncertain as
to which road he should take. He
paused moment; then, turning to me,
said
"Madame, 1 feel 1 have missed my
way little; but my mother told me
she would give some directions in her
letter; will madame give it me that 1
may right MYSELF"
Without thinking, handed him his
mothers letter; and, standing beneath
a neighboring lamp, he read over slowly
the directions contained in the note;
then, holding it still open in his hand,
he resumed his walk, referring to it
every now and then, as though still in
doubt as to our Whereabouts. There
was a certain mysterious quiet about
the neighborhood we were in that
preyed upon my spirits-a certain silence
l could not fathom; and my courage
began to flag strangely as we continued
our lonely road. experienced sensa-
ton of intense relief, therefore, when
my young guide stopped suddenly be-
fore tall, dark house in quiet street,
and listened eagerly for an answer to
his gentle tap at the closed door. A
voice from within asked softly, in
French: "How fares it, my sonp' and
in English, the boy answered: "Safely
and fairly; open the door, The door
was then unbarred and onened without