ad of passing
around this prickly bush, to lay hold of it with his naked hands and
pull it up by the roots."

"But a man armed with the truth is far from being barehanded," replied
the convalescent, and they went on, more and more interested at every
step,--one in this very raw imported material for an excellent man, the
other in so striking an exponent of a unique land and people.

They came at length to the crossing of two streets, and the Creole,
pausing in his speech, laid his hand upon the bridle.

Frowenfeld dismounted.

"Do we part here?" asked the Creole. "Well, Mr. Frowenfeld, I hope to
meet you soon again."

"Indeed, I thank you, sir," said Joseph, "and I hope we shall,
although--"

The Creole paused with a foot in the stirrup and interrupted him with a
playful gesture; then as the horse stirred, he mounted and drew in
the rein.

"I know; you want to say you cannot accept my philosophy and I cannot
appreciate yours; but I appreciate it more than you think, my-de'-seh."

The convalescent's smile showed much fatigue.

The Creole extended his hand; the immigrant seized it, wished to ask his
name, but did not; and the next moment he was gone.

The convalescent walked meditatively toward his quarters, with a faint
feeling of having been found asleep on duty and awakened by a passing
stranger. It was an unpleasant feeling, and he caught himself more than
once shaking his head. He stopped, at length, and looked back; but the
Creole was long since out of sight. The mortified self-accuser little
knew how very similar a feeling that vanished person was carrying away
with him. He turned and resumed his walk, wondering who Monsieur might
be, and a little impatient with himself that he had not asked.

"It is Honore Grandissime; it must be he!" he said.

Yet see how soon he felt obliged to change his mind.

CHAPTER VIII

SIGNED--HONORE GRANDISSIME

On the afternoon of the same day, having decided what he would "do," he
started out in search of new quarters. He found nothing then, but next
morning came upon a small, single-story building in the rue
Royale,--corner of Conti,--which he thought would suit his plans. There
were a door and show-window in the rue Royale, two doors in the
intersecting street, and a small apartment in the rear which would
answer for sleeping, eating, and studying purposes, and which connected
with the front apartment by a door in the left-hand corner. This
connection he w