"from an old patch-work quilt
in the possession of the party, and had paid said party one crown for
the same." Two letters were from Mr. Reed and Dorothy, and the rest,
three in number--addressed to D. R., in care of Dubigk's Hotel,
Aix-la-Chapelle--were from three persons with very different
handwritings, but each was signed "Ellen Lee."

CHAPTER XXXIII.

AN IMPORTANT INTERVIEW.

DONALD, going to his room, laid the three Ellen-Lee letters upon the
table before him and surveyed the situation That only one of them could
be from the right Ellen Lee seemed evident; but which one? That was the
question.

"This cannot be it," thought Donald, as he took up a badly written and
much blotted sheet. "It is English-French, and evidently is in the
handwriting of a man. Well, this brilliant person requests me to send
one hundred francs to pay _her_ expenses to Aix-la-Chapelle, and _she_
will then prove _her_ identity and receive the grateful reward. Thank
you, my good man!--not if the court knows itself. We'll lay you aside
for the present."

The next was from a woman--a _bonne_--who stated that by good nursing
she had saved so many babies' lives in her day that she could not be
sure which two babies this very kind "D. R." alluded to, but her name
was Madame L. N. Lit. A wise friend had told her of this advertisement,
and explained that as L. N. Lit in French and Ellen Lee in English had
exactly the same sound, the inquirer probably was a native of Great
Britain, and had made a very natural mistake in writing her name Ellen
Lee. Therefore she had much pleasure in informing the kind advertiser
that at present her address was No. -- Rue St. Armand, Rouen, where she
was well known, and that she would be truly happy to hear of something
to her advantage. Donald shook his head very doubtfully, as he laid this
letter aside. But the next he read twice, and even then he did not lay
it down until he had read it again. It was a neatly written little note,
and simply stated, in French, that D. R. could see Ellen Lee by calling
at No.--Rue Soudiere, Paris, and making inquiry for Madame Rene.

"An honest little note," was Donald's verdict, after carefully
scrutinizing it, "and worth following up. The others can wait. I shall
go to Paris and look up this Madame Rene. Yes, she shall receive a visit
from his majesty."

Don was in high spirits, you see,--and no wonder. He already had
accomplished a splendid day's work in visiting M.