Faringhea, returned to the little
garden-door of the house occupied by Djalma. At the moment he
was putting the key into the lock, the door opened, to his great
astonishment, and a man came forth. Faringhea rushed upon the unknown,
seized him violently by the collar, and exclaimed: "Who are you? whence
came you?"

The stranger evidently found the tone of this question anything but
satisfactory; for, instead of answering, he struggled to disengage
himself from Faringhea's hold, and cried out, in a loud voice: "Help!
Peter!"

Instantly the carriage, which had been standing a few yards off, dashed
up at full speed, and Peter, the tall footman, seizing the half-breed by
the shoulders, flung him back several paces, and thus made a seasonable
diversion in favor of the unknown.

"Now, sir," said the latter to Faringhea, shaking himself, and still
protected by the gigantic footman, "I am in a state to answer your
questions, though you certainly have a very rough way of receiving an
old acquaintance. I am Dupont, ex-bailiff of the estate of Cardoville,
and it was I who helped to fish you out of the water, when the ship was
wrecked in which you had embarked."

By the light of the carriage-lamps, indeed, the half-caste
recognized the good, honest face of Dupont, formerly bailiff, and now
house-steward, to Mdlle. de Cardoville. It must not be forgotten that
Dupont had been the first to write to Mdlle. de Cardoville, to ask her
to interest herself for Djalma, who was then detained at Cardoville
Castle by the injuries he had received during the shipwreck.

"But, sir, what is your business here? Why do you introduce yourself
clandestinely into this house?" said Faringhea, in an abrupt and
suspicious tone.

"I will--just observe to you that there is nothing clandestine in the
matter. I came here in a carriage, with servants in the livery of my
excellent mistress, Mdlle. de Cardoville, charged by her, without any
disguise or mystery, to deliver a letter to Prince Djalma, her cousin,"
replied Dupont, with dignity.

On these words, Faringhea trembled with mute rage, as he answered: "And
why, sir, come at this late hour, and introduce yourself by this little
door?"

"I came at this hour, my dear sir, because such was Mdlle. de
Cardoville's command, and I entered by this little gate because there is
every reason to believe that if I had gone around to the other I should
not have been permitted to see the prince."

"You are mist