care
of 'Mr. Somnus!'--a good deal of waggery about you, I perceive, or had
you forgotten my name?"

"No, no! I had reasons--but, you remember, no questions were to be
asked; you must wait for voluntary communications."

"I am so glad--so glad you are going with us!" said little Louey La
Vigne, pressing my hand, as she sat before me in the carriage by Aunt
Felicite, her nurse--Colonel La Vigne and three of his daughters having
been consigned to another hack--Louey and her sable attendant, stately
with her large gold ear-hoops, and brilliant cotton handkerchief, being
inseparable accompaniments of his wife.

"I have banished Mr. La Vigne, I fear," I said, in a broken voice; "it
would have been best for me, perhaps, to have gone with the young
ladies. Let me begin at once."

"No, it is much best as it is," she answered, affectionately; "think of
yourself just now, and take no charge until we all get home. You are
our guest until then, remember. I know it is a sad trial to go with
strangers, but you will find us friends, I hope;" and she clasped my
hand in hers, and so held it until we reached the wharf.

Tears rained down my face, beneath the friendly shelter of my veil, but
Madame La Vigne, with the tact of good-breeding, affected not to remark
them. Once little Louey, a child of eight years old, the youngest and
prettiest of all, leaned forward, as if to soothe or question me, but
she was plucked quickly back into her place by the decorous Aunt
Felicite, who had not lived so long with quality without acquiring some
delicacy of behavior, at least, even if it struck no deeper root.

I had commanded myself, before the carriage stopped beside the panting
steamboat, and soon we were gliding along the placid river toward the
point whence the railroad was to carry us on to our goal. At New York,
we found ourselves hurried for time to reach the packet Magnolia, and
went directly from the depot to the quay, for embarkation.

By the pilot, who left us at the Narrows, I sent back a few lines to
Mabel, also enjoining him, with the gift of a piece of gold, to mail my
letters on the following day, and receiving his promise to do so.

In this brief communication, I promised my dear child that we should
meet at my majority, and enjoined her to patience. "You will hear from
me again before long," I said, in conclusion; "and I will try and
arrange some plan of correspondence. Bad people have obliged me to this
step. Do not forg