The record-union., 1893-06-03

fOAJ hdu W IdA6 up your ldG1eE . CduSS'
and he'll do it for nothing, because it's
against the Government"
Pauline started from her seat. - ules."
she cried, lis that true?"
YES" l said, ~ we heard it a dozen
times"
And will you go to Maitre Letellier
and ask him?"
And when will you let me know ?"
"On my way back, l said; "but it will
be late. Remember, it's an hours walk to
Sedan"
Never mind, shall be watching for
you. Jules, l am very grateful 10 you"
1t was wonderful how light my heart
was as started on Pauline's errand. The
ground seemed to fly under my feet.
Within an hour l was waiting in Maitre
Letellier's bureau tor him to return from
the club where he was dining. When at
last he came, he did not let me tell my
story near so fully as l wished to.
"Ge s, yes" he said, know the kind
OF case. 1t is scarcely such as l care to
undertake. Still, as you are so urgent, l
might, perhaps. You had better come
and see me tomorrow at 10 o'clock
do not talk business out of business
hours" Then he rose; our interview
was evidently at an end. lone word
more" he said, as l babe him good
evening. Am | to understand that it is
! ,
| stared at him i'll establishment
II mean" he continued, sis it you
who are making yourself responsible for
my fee?"
At this question you might have
knocked me down with a feather.
Your fee, Monsieur PAvocat" 1
gasped.
He smiled.
es, my fee," he said; "did you think
prisoners were defended gratis?"
But l had heard" l began, then
suddenly l seemed to recognize how
vague those stories of his dislnGerested-
ness had been; besides, no doubt he did
not class smuggling as political otlense.
l changed my tone. Yes, monsieur,
certainly l am responsible for the fee."
II shall not be hard on YOU" he said;
1--WE will make it $50 francs"
| "Bien, Monsieur rAvocat," / replied,
and then, half dazed, l walked out into
! the street.
Two hundred and fifty francs! Where
was that to come from? My savings
amounted to one-third of the sum. The
trial would come off soon, perhaps, and
| Pauline would have to be disappointed
| was outside the Notifications by this
time. L saw in the twilight the outline of
an estaminet which l knew Of old. l went
III and called for petit verre," then for
another. While l drank the landlord sat
] L
my mind was so full of doubt and per-
plexity that l could not walk quickly. 1t
| was past 10 o'clock when | knocked at
the door of the Cafe Pochet.
It's all right, Pauline" | said; "Maitre
! Letellier undertakes the case"
Sc began to ask questions, but hurried
away, and she called out her thanks after
me into the night.
CHAPTER II.
The news of Pochet's arrest caused
! great lamentatiOn at Sugny; not so much
out of sympathy with him as on account
OF the blow it gave to the 'traudeurs' y
trade. There were a few surmises as to
| the chance Of Leon Regnault keeping his
pledge to Pauline; but that was a mere
side issue OF no importance in compare
son with the difficulty of finding an
other accOmplice as shreWd and daring as
old Pochet.
MY tobacco is drying grand this year"
said old Servais dolefully one evening a
little later as we sat in the bar at Reg
nault's. 81 never smelt anything liner.
But what's the use if it all has to be sold
inland ?"
LAY, indeed" SAID another, ''the best
leaf will be mere drug in all the mar
kets we can get to. If they'd only left us
Pochet for another six weeks"
Then some one turned to me.
"And you, Jules, who were in such q
hurry to be first in the field with your
bargain. You haven't gained much."S
Just given yourself the trouble OF
making two bargains instead OF one'
grunted Seryais, that's all.'
YOU'RE out there" said; 'the bar
gain l made holds good. 1t wasn't made
with Pochet at all"
mot with Pochet," they all cried at
once; then with whom was it?''
with Lambert of the Cafe Marteau, by
Sedan,' l replied.
"Was it good one?" / was asked.
AS ! told the price Lambert had agreed
to pay me, there was a murmur OF APP
plause.
He's wide-awake, is our Jules" said
my father, "for all he's so quiet"
But, lad" said Servais, who was an
authority on such matters, it'll be sharp
practice to smuggle half a hundred OF
tobacco into the banlieue of Sedan"
Its not job tor a fool,' L replied;
"but, you see, the douaniers will count
on our being frightened by Pochet's cap
ture. They won't be expecting US to run
anything just yet l shall take advan-
tage of that, and get it through on Thurs
day morning"
Thursday morning? Not by day
light?"
Ives, by daylight" 1 replied. 1.-The
holder the better"
My father shook his head.
You'll run your neck into moose,
Jules" he said.
Il don't think 1 shall" l answered.
81 think Pm pretty safe was at the
mill to-day, and | found that the miller's
big Flanders horse had died of old age:
Uve promised the miller to take the car
caSs and sell it for him at the sham bles
| in Sedan.'
They all understood. Carcasses OF
animals had, from time to time, PLAYED
Innnrf1nf n Il Of ,ir,,.
and never, as yet, had they attracted sus-
piclon. was warmly congratulated on
my luck III having secured such a rarc
thing as dead horse. and much envied
| also.
The next day we packed the precious
freight carefully and neatly into its
strange receptacle; then we placed it on
the top of load of old iron which my
iather had TO send into Sedan. There
| was positively no outward trace of the
| valuable cargo which was slowed away
under the gaunt sides of the great, un-
wleldly carcass; on that point was quite
satisfied, even without the opinion of
Regnault and Servais. and others who
were accustomed to the unexpected WAYS
of excisemen. Nevertheless, the salts
faction l felt was by no means complete.
1 l had no doubts as to the success of nv
| bold plan, still was restless and anxious,
and when all was in readiness for my
start the following morning, l wandered
off into the forest to try and get rid of my
uncomfortable feeling. The fact was, the
tacit promise L had given Pauline about
smuggling kept on torturing me contin-
ually. Was it really promise, or was it
not? At the moment put my sample OF
tobacco back into my pocket, had meant
her to understand that L was going to
turn over a new leaf Well, such was
my intention still. What | was about to
do was not really a breach of faith.
When l had suggested Maitre Letellier as
an advocate for- her father, l had fancied