tante," Julia Redmond had said to her when the last telegram was brought in to the Château d'Esclignac, "I shall leave for Africa to-morrow." 

 "My dear Julia!" 

 "He is alive! God will not let him die. Besides, I have prayed. I believe in God, don't you?" 

 "Of course, my dear Julia." 

 "Well," said the girl, whose pale cheeks and trembling hands that held the telegram made a sincere impression on her aunt, "well, then, if you believe, why do you doubt that he is alive? Some one must find him.  Will you tell Eugene to have the motor here in an hour? The boat sails to-morrow, ma tante." 

 The marquise rolled her embroidery and put it aside for twelve months. Her fine hands looked capable as she did so. 

 "My dear Julia, a young and handsome woman can not follow like a daughter of the regiment, after the fortunes of a soldier." 

 "But a Red Cross nurse can, ma tante, and I have my diploma." 

 "The boat leaving to-morrow, my dear Julia, doesn't take passengers." 

 "Oh, ma tante! There will be no other boat for Algiers," she opened the newspaper, "until ... oh, heavens!" 

 "But Robert de Tremont's yacht is in the harbor." 

 Miss Redmond looked at her aunt speechlessly. 

 "I shall telegraph Madame de Haussonvelle and ask permission for you to go in that as an auxiliary of the Red Cross to Algiers, or, rather, Robert is at Nice. I shall telegraph him." 

 "Oh, ma tante!" 

 "He asked me to make up my own party for a cruise on the Mediterranean," said the Marquise d'Esclignac thoughtfully. 

 Miss Redmond fetched the telegraph blank and the pad from the table. The color began to return to her cheeks. She put from her mind the idea that her aunt had plans for her. All ways were fair in the present situation. 

 The Marquise d'Esclignac wrote her despatch, a very long one, slowly. She said to her servant: 

 "Call up the Villa des Perroquets at Nice. I wish to speak with the Duc de Tremont."  She then drew her niece 

 Prev. P 35/96 next