ssured M. Galpin will see to it
that no communication is held with his prisoner."

"Who knows?" said the young girl.

And immediately she drew M. de Chandore aside into one of the little
card-rooms adjoining the parlor, and asked him,--

"Grandpapa, am I rich?"

Never in her life had she thought of that, and she was to a certain
extent utterly ignorant of the value of money.

"Yes, you are rich, my child," replied the old gentleman.

"How much do I have?"

"You have in your own right, as coming to you from your poor father and
from your mother, twenty-five thousand francs a year, or a capital of
about five hundred and fifty thousand francs."

"And is that a good deal?"

"It is so much, that you are one of the richest heiresses of the
district; but you have, besides, considerable expectations."

Dionysia was so preoccupied, that she did not even protest. She went on
asking,--

"What do they call here to be well off?"

"That depends, my child. If you will tell me"--

She interrupted him, putting down her foot impatiently, saying,--

"Nothing. Please answer me!"

"Well, in our little town, an income of eight hundred or a thousand
francs makes anybody very well off."

"Let us say a thousand."

"Well, a thousand would make a man very comfortable."

"And what capital would produce such an income?"

"At five per cent, it would take twenty thousand francs."

"That is to say, about the income of a year."

"Exactly."

"Never mind. I presume that is quite a large sum, and it would be rather
difficult for you, grandpapa, to get it together by to-morrow morning?"

"Not at all. I have that much in railway coupon-bonds; and they are just
as good as current money."

"Ah! Do you mean to say, that, if I gave anybody twenty thousand francs
in such bonds, it would be just the same to him as if I gave him twenty
thousand francs in bank-notes?"

"Just so."

Dionysia smiled. She thought she saw light. Then she went on,--

"If that is so, I must beg you, grandpapa, to give me twenty thousand
francs in coupon-bonds."

The old gentleman started.

"You are joking," he said. "What do you want with so much money? You are
surely joking."

"Not at all. I have never in my life been more serious," replied the
young girl in a tone of voice which could not be mistaken. "I beseech
you, grandpapa, if you love me, give me these twenty thousand francs
this evening, right now. You hesitate? O God! You may kill me if you