g you the way."

Onesime and Rupert might be distinguished in the dim perspective,
waiting apparently for a signal from the captain to remove both the
commissary and the unwelcome lady visitor.

Our hearts were beating fast: Kondje-Gul could hardly restrain her
feelings. We went in, and my uncle, as calm as ever, offered chairs to
Madame Murrah and to the emissary of justice. Then he addressed him
again, saying:

"May I inquire, sir, whether you are provided with a formal warrant
authorizing you to employ force to take this young lady away, according
to her mother's wish?"

"I have the judge's order!" exclaimed Madame Murrah with vehemence.

"Excuse me, excuse me," continued my uncle, "but let us avoid all
confusion! Be so kind, if you please, madam, as to permit the commissary
to answer my question. We are anxious to observe the respect which we
owe to his office."

I felt done for. How could we resist the law? My poor Kondje cast
despairing looks at me.

"Madame Murrah being a foreigner, sir," answered the officer of the law,
"as you appear to understand, my only instructions are to accompany her,
and, in the event of opposition being made to her rights, to draw up a
report in order to enable her to bring an action against you in a court
of justice."

"Ah!" continued my uncle. "Well, then, sir! you may proceed, if you
please, to take down our replies. In the first place, then, the young
lady formally declines to return to her mother."

"That's false!" said the Circassian. "She is my daughter, and belongs
only to me! She will obey me, for she knows that I shall curse her
if----"

"Let us be quite calm, if you please, and have no useless words!"
replied my uncle. "It is your daughter's turn to reply.--Ask her, sir."

The commissary then addressed himself to Kondje-Gul, repeating the
question. I saw her turn pale and hesitate, terror-stricken by her
mother's looks.

"Do you want to leave me, then?" I said to her passionately.

"Oh, no!" she exclaimed. Then turning towards the commissary, she added
in a firm voice: "I do not wish to go with my mother, sir."

At this the Circassian rose up in a fury.

Kondje-Gul fell on her knees before her, supplicating her with tears, in
piteous tones.

In my alarm I rushed forward.

"Get her out of the room; take her away!" my uncle said to me sharply.

My poor Kondje-Gul resisted, so I took her up in my arms and carried her
out. At the door I found Fanny, who ha