Year: 1870

tired head sank upon the little shoulder and
for a moment or two he dropped asleep. Then
he would wake up again and stare at the un-
kind door, which at every opening brought
him no relief


After the diligence had been gone some
twenty minutes and Laura had got into a state
of fdgets which threatened to pass ali control,
the landlord and head waiter came into the
room, looked at the little boy, then talked to-
gether vOlubly in q 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 ques-
! ton; but do Monsieur and Madame know any
! thing OF the little gentleman yonder p


No, nothing; beyond that Monsieur and |


Madame passed the little gentleman and his


father as they assembled the pass.


Is Monsieur aware that the father is an


Englishman ?"


Well, Monsieur had guessed as much, but


could not say more.


"Well, 1t is very strange. 1t is some time


now since these two arrived. The father en-


gagged room, ard ordered a supper. The


father had said that his luggage would be de-


posted by the diligence; but the diligence had


come and gOne and, though particular inqu-


ries were made, the conductor was quite sure


there was no luggage such as had been desclib-


ed to be deposited at this hotel


There must have been some mistake,


replied.


:" Not possible. The authorities are very


particular in these cases And where is Mou


seur le perez


Gone to sleep in his chamber probably, "


[ suggested.


:" But not at all 1t is empty. There is


nothing whatever in it. In fact, the gentle


man was seen to leave the hotel the moment


he had ordered supper and given instructions


about his baggage, and had not returned"
Laura was watching the accomplishing child.
The large blue eyes were directed toward us,
as if guessing that he was the object of our
conversation. She could not restrain herself
: any longer and she rose from her seat and


went up to the child. He shrank little,


thought, as she approached; but there was
something about her face which speedily reas-
sured him.


! You are little English boy, are you not 2"
, she said, as she sat down beside him.
lie murmured, " Yes. But could see
: a working in the little white throat the poor,
+ tired mannikin was striving bravey to keep
: down his tears.


: 8 You want your supper, do you not?" ask
t ed Laura as with one hand she stroked the
|, golden curls. " You are very tired, and ought
S to have your supper and .go to bed. Where
: Is papa? Was not that your papa who brought
: you here ?"


r Yes, my papa brought me here and he
/ said we were to have something to eat and
= was to wait here quietly till he came back
e Very quietly, he told me, and he should soor
2, be back.


d Would not you like to have your suppe
We at once p said Laura. . our papa is taking
'f longer walk than he intended, and he will b,
e, very sorry that you should be so hungry. Shal
! ask that gentleman, pointing to the land
le lord who had come up to the table, to brInj
ne you something to eat at once p


No, thank yod; | must wait for my papa.
a EntreatieS and coaxing were all in vain ant
II Laura fearful o! distressing him still MORE LET
a him alone, and resumed her seat by me.
nj Nearly another hour had passed away. Lau
as ra insisted on remaining in the room, and W
s. lstessly studied the Lirre dcS ErdHgcrS.
ny By-and-by the silence of the dark cornc
m was broken. The courage of the little nit
ng had given way he was Sobbing as if his hear
AZ would break Laura had him in her arms i
N, a moment


at "Oh, papa papa !" he cried in his bite
er, so long alone Oh papa come back-con
5ht back T.


nd Above his low, sad wall heard the soun
ad Of persons entering the hotel, and then thel
INT was a busy hum OF voices; and a minute
he two aitcrward the landlord with a strange e,
yer preston in his face. looked in at the door, al
zen beckoned to me. There at the entrance
The the hotel, | found the walters and other pc
red pie gathered. Three peasants had Just con
KY in, bringing with them something they h;
ole found-somcthing which lay in a disfgurt
vas heap upon the ground.


his They had found this body of a man, | W


quickly told, at the bottom Of low cliff abo
his "A quarter of mile from the hotel. Then tn
RS; uncovered the face, and | at once recognize
his the man Laura and | had passed on the a
In cent Then, as a cold shiver came over me,
He | hpn r1 q from ypit him tho [ boH loff
n. My papa has come back know he has
ar and, before any of us could interfere, the do
han OF the Sdl(e G-ntdager was thrown open, al
dis the palid, weeping child tottered out, follow


hastily by Laura.


me Where is papaY / know he is here
sat And checking his violent sObs he locke
the eagerly at the solemn faces around him.
the why won you tell me where papa is ? OIL
our what that upon the floor? Then, before a
we one could stop him, he cast himself down a
no laid hls cheek by the cold, white lips that nc


er more could kiss him, or breathe word
/ to love into his ear


give Gentle hands raised him softly, and be
my him away to the room the dead man had h


prepared, and laid him down upon the be
we lie seemed to know his own utter desolatiC
'ubt and the paroxysm Of grief was strangely st
Will ed. Laura remained with him all night al


when the first red lights Of the rising sun ba
saw ed with deep splendor the silent glaciers a
that the snowy peaks, the young heart had brOk
hose beneath its burden, and the weary spirit
wing away.


lind Shortly afterward-at Milan, | think it '
GUS i saw q copy of the TilneS and in the 6


Ond column | Saw an advertisement for II
rOp- with red mark under his left eye and wi
ven | returned to England learned the whole 5
with ry. This man, who had ever borne the hi
fore, est character had got into deep distress, ow


principally to the shameful conduct of frit
1und for whom he had become surety. and in
the evil moment he had fallen. and had forged
the check for a considerable amount, intending
we such unhappy men always do intend-to
bovee place the money He failed in doing Il
and and, conscious that his fraud must infalli
lear be discovered, he fled from England tax