he baby's removal.

"I have not been idle since you have been gone. Luckily Mathilde has a
headache, so I have sent her to bed, and I sat with her till she was
asleep. My next care was to get rid of the nurse, so I have packed her
off to Brecy with one of the other servants for some medicine for
Mathilde, and the coast is clear to the nursery now. There is only one
of the housemaids with the baby, and when you are ready to start you
must lose something and require her to find it while I secure the child.
Lastly, I ordered the dogcart, and said I would drive you."

"But how about the child?" interrupted Leon.

"I am coming to that. Just as we are going to start, you must lose a
stick or a coat. I'll offer to go back for it, and meet you at the side
door; there is a staircase leading to the nursery close to it, down
which I shall come with the baby after I have sent the housemaid who is
guarding it to look for your stick. We shall be off and the baby on
board before it is missed, for the girl is sure to stay gossiping with
the other servants when we are off."

"Well, I hope you'll succeed, but I confess I think this is the most
difficult part of the affair. However, there is no time to lose; you had
better order the dogcart at once, while I go and say good-bye to mother
and the boys. We must be off in twenty minutes," replied Leon.

Half an hour later the brothers were seated in the dogcart, while the
old baroness, with a shawl thrown round her head, stood on the steps
under the portico to catch the last glimpse of her handsome Leon, with
her two younger boys by her side, and Pere Yvon and some of the servants
in the background. The groom had just let go of the horse's bridle when
Leon exclaimed--

"Wait a minute! I have forgotten my Malacca cane. I lent it to you the
other day, Arnaut. I must have it. Where shall I find it?"

"So you did. Here, one of you boys, run into my--but no, you'll wake
Mathilde, I'll go myself. Here, Leon, take the reins, and drive round to
the side door; I'll meet you there," said the baron, descending from the
dogcart, and running into the house.

(_To be continued._)

FASHIONABLE EMBROIDERY.

The fancy embroidery of the present day is of such varied character and
make that all would-be workers will find among the diversities of stitch
and material some description that suits their particular need and
ingenuity.

A few years ago one embroidery alone claimed attention. This