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The widow Piriuc started slight ly whith did not escape the ua fu! eyed of Maxime. but she replied withoubmuch embarrassment : 'The lady will not certainly come here. however great the intere :t she may feel in paor child; but if] she did I should beg to be excusad from allowing her to see him." "'Bhe will not come, but she his sent me." A Lh not aware that you knew "1 left her 'an hour ago, and she begged me to see Georget, to have ua talk with 'him, 'and even to take hint to walk." : "My dear sir, madame the coun- test is probably ignorant that the child does not know what he is say: ing---the shock he received has af- flicted his brain--and the doctor Bas advised me not to let him go out." 'The countess, madame, foresaw tha objections you would make, and to prova to you that she has charged me with combating : them, placed this rigg in my hands." ' The ateestress of the groom turn: ed pale and looked at:M. Dorgeres in blaxk stupor. What does she f me?' she asked. : ple { & Yalta is bént on learn- ing the fate of a young man who disappeared a month ago, M. Ro- bert de Carnoel, and she wishes me to make use of Georget in trying ty find him." ('She forgets he has lost his me: mory."' " "No, but she hopes that it will return to him; that some circum. stance--some chance which I shall try to bring about if you will per- mit him t6 accompany me---will awaken recollections. For instance; if I carried: him to my uncle's of: fices, who knows if he might not re- call something."' Madame Piriac reflected 'deeply, and Maxime thought he saw a hesi- tation between the necessity for obediencs to a command it was im- possible to disregard and the fear of injuring her grandson. "Is M. Dorgeres gware of Mme. Yalta's project?' 'she inquired at last. 'No, replied Maxime quickly, "and T shall not speak of it to him." 4Parden me, sir, if T ask you one last question. : Will 'yon swear to md that whatever may be the re- sult of your researches no harm shall come to Georget?' "Madame," replied . Maxime, in an accent that left no doubt of his sincerity, 'I give you my word thai Georget shall not be compromised fo any way, I will add that T am not curious as to the circumstances that have led to your connexion with the countess. If it be a secret {I shalt not try to penetrate it. have but one purpose, to serve a woman who inspires me with the Jivellest and most respectful sym. pathy. It matters nothing to me ¥ why. she wishes to find M. de Car- "noel, Bhe wishes it, that is enough to make me desire to aid her with 'all my. power.' : "Sir," said the ancestress; "par- don me for having hesitated before © trusting you with what is dearest + $0 me ip the world, I no longer he- ~sitate will call Georget." ? vhardly Jionouneed the a the child darted into the "Good mammb, 1 declare the dots tor has not forbidden me to haye bon-bons;'! Sp 'He has forbidden you to talk too much;" said the ancestress so quickly: that it struck Maxime she wished to prevent 'the child from mentioning this doctor who .pust be M: Villagos. ii "Yes," continued Qeorgety 'but he will let me go to walk, He said yesterday that 1 didn't take exer-| cise enough, and must begin to use my arm." : : 'The outsdocr exercire would be of service to him," 'said Maxime. addressing Madame Pirise; Hand ince you agree to it, I am going out with my young friend.'" | "Not for long, I hope, sir." 'Oh, we will return before dark and if Georget seems futigued, we will take a carriage." Ho The ancestress sequ esced, thanks tn the all powerful talisman. "They had hardly touched: the street when the boy raised his head and sniffed the . air like 'a young horse 'who has long been confined to the stable. : Hs "It 18 good to be: oub-doors," he cried, "and not going to the office, for we are not = going there, dre we i" < ph + "Never while we live," replied Maxime, gayly. 'Did you think 1 came to make you do penance?' 1 Good |: If you knew "how the time drags when 'I am shut up in four walls! Hold, M. Maxime, you wont tell 'this to good mamma; but sometimes whan I. get very tired, 1 spin away as far as the Madeline to play marbles--ten minutes in all, no moré--but if M. Vignory had known it" : ; "Bahl he would have said no- thing; he is a good fellow." "May be go, but he 'don't laugh much; with you, now, it's like M;. Robert--T'm not afraid, ~~ Yon wouldn't have. fold the patron en me." nik Foti "Is it Jong since you saw M. Rob- ert)' asked Maxime quickly. "Well, no--that is--wait now. The last time I saw him was--na foil I can't think. All I remember is he passed By me to go to the of: fice. 1 took off my cap, and he said good morming."' Se "That was a month ago--probab- ly the day he went. away, or the day before.' ' "He has gone away, thenl That is queer. Where did he go#' Maxime did not reply. 'He was thinking, Hib "Hold I' said CGleorget, suddenly, "here we 'are at the. Boulevard Malésherbes, and the booths are up. It must he near New Year's." "It hes passed, 'my boy," said "Maxime, shaking; his: "head sadly. "You forget 1 came to buy your New Year's presents.' st "Did you, really?' , ; "YT told you 0" awhile ago. It seomsy your head is not quite steady eb.' i ; Rd Sl "Oh; dear ne; it's in a queer way --my head. I would like to tell you how it feels if 1 could." ; : a door: concealed |