Year: 1873

and madame passed the little gentle


man and his father as they ascended
the pass.


''Is monsieur aware that his father
is an Englishman ?'


Well, monsieur had guessed as much,


but could not say more.


'' Well, it is very strange. It 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. Ie Pere p"


"Gone to sleep in his chamber, pro-
bably," I suggested.


''But not at all. It is empty. There
is nothing whatever in it. In fact, the
gentleman was seen to leave the hotel
the moment after he had ordered sup
per and given instructions about bag
gage, and had not returned.


Laura was Ewatching the uneompalin-
ing child. The large blue eyes were
directed towards US, as if guessing
that he was the object of our converse
ton. She could not restrain herself
any longer, and she arose from her seat
and went up to the child. He shrank
little, I thought, as she approached !;
but there was soE ething about her face
which speedily reassured him.


''You are little English boy, are
YOU not ?'' she said, as she sat down be-
side him.


He murmered, i" Yes" But I could
see a working in the little white throat;
the poor tired manikin was striving
braveIy to keep down his tears.


&c 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 go to bed. Where is
papa? Was not that your papa who
brought you here p


eyes, my papa brought me here and
he said we were to have something to
eat, and I was to wait quietly till he
came back. Very quietly, he told me,
and he should soon be back"


''Would you not like to have your
supper at once ?" 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 not
ask that gentleman pointing to the
landlord, who had come up to the Ia
ble-''to bring you something to eat
at once?"


"No, thank you; I must wait for
my papa"


Entreaties and coaxing were all in
vain and Laura, fearful of distressing
him still more, left him alone and re-
sumed her seat by me.


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 mo-
ment


go papa papa ?" he cried, in his bit
ter agony. go papa how could You
leave me so long alone! o papa I!
come back, come back -


Above his low, sad wall I heard the
sound of persons entering the hotel,
and then there was a busy hum of
voices, and a minute or two afterwards
the landlord, with strange expression
on his face, looked in at the door and
beckoned to me. 1 hastily left the
room. There, at the entrance of the
hotel, [ 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 a
low cliff about quarter of a mile from
the hotel. Then they uncovered the
face, and 1 at once recognized the man
whom Laura and I had passed on the
ascent. Then, as a cold shiver passed
over me, heard cry from within the
room I had left.


MY papa has come back, I know he
has :" and, before any Of us could in
terfere, the door of the sale manager
was thrown open, and the palIid, weep
ing child tottered out, followed hastily
by Laura.


Where is papa; know he is here ?"
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 upoi the floor" 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 a word Of love into
his ear.


Gentle hands raised him softly, aud
bore him away to the room the dead man
lad prepared, and laid him down upon