young and
active men, wore the same dress--a white vest and trousers, with a
tri-colored belt, and a little blue cap on the head. They only waited
for a signal to begin, as they stood in groups in the centre of the
court. Very soon a middle-aged gentleman appeared among them. Though
he was no longer young, he was still strong and active, and seemed to
have a powerful constitution. He wore a blue coat, and a decoration at
his button-hole, which was given as a token of bravery. He wore a cap
upon his head.

He came forward to speak to Emilie, and his eye fell upon poor
Jacques, who was overcome with emotion at seeing a school where
children who had been lame from weakness found the use of their limbs
on recovering their health.

Before the colonel had time to ask who this boy was,--for he knew
Jacques was not one of his scholars,--Emilie seized his hand, and with
the coaxing voice that children know how to use so well when they want
to ask a favor, she said,--

"I can walk without crutches now, colonel."

"I am rejoiced to hear it, my child. You ought to be able to do so."

"And I have grown almost an inch in six months. O, I am so much
obliged to you, colonel!"

"You mean to my gymnasium, my dear child."

"No, to you, colonel, to you. For really I was much worse than Jacques
is, and to-day I am better than he is."

"Who is Jacques?"

"This boy that you see here," said Emilie, taking the hand of Jacques,
who was hiding behind her, and making him come forward before the
colonel. "He is the son of a slater. His father is dead. He fell from
a roof. Poor man! His mother is very miserable, for she has another
child to take care of; so you see yourself, colonel, it is quite
necessary that he should be able to stand alone."

All the time that M. Amoros was examining Jacques, rolling up the
sleeves of his jacket to see his arms, turning up his trousers to look
at his legs, feeling his spine, and making him stretch out his limbs,
Emilie continued, with a coaxing voice,--

"If you are willing, Colonel Amoros, we can make an arrangement. O,
you must not refuse me, I beg of you!"

"What?" said the kind man, continuing his examination.

"This boy is very poor--very, very poor. If he is not cured, he will
never be able to get his living. He has a mother and sister to
support; and see, colonel, I am very sure my poor Jacques will die
soon."

"Will you hold your tongue, you little simpleton?" said the colonel,
suddenl