prophecy of Innocentina the Seeress was fulfilled. I could
learn nothing of the Boy or his movements, at the _gare_ of Chambery.
Several trains had gone out, bound for several destinations in
different directions, during the past three hours, and no one
answering the description I gave of the Boy had been seen to leave.

Sadder, but no wiser, I returned to the Hotel de France, and asked if
a youth of seventeen, "with large blue eyes, chestnut hair which
curled, a complexion tanned brown, a panama hat, and a suit of
navy-blue serge knickerbockers," had lunched there.

The answer was no. Such a yoking gentleman had not come to the hotel,
nor had he been noticed in the town, either with or without a young
woman and a couple of donkeys.

I had no more than finished my questionings and gone up to my room,
when Joseph arrived--a wistful, expectant Joseph, with a deep light of
excitement burning in his eyes.

"Any news?" I asked.

"No, Monsieur, except that in an hour Innocentina starts to walk on to
Les Echelles with her _anes_."

"She is energetic."

"The girl knows not what is the fatigue. Besides, each day less on the
road means so many more francs added to the _dot_."

"Innocentina seems very keen upon increasing that _dot_. Has she
anyone in view to share it with her?"

"She has not confided that to me, Monsieur."

"I suppose he would have to be a good Catholic?"

"Of that I am not so sure. I do not think she would object to a good
Protestant, if he would allow the children to be brought up in her
faith."

"The lady is brave. She takes time by the forelock."

"It is the wise way, Monsieur."

"Well, whoever he may be, I am sure _you_ do not envy the future
_mari_, _dot_ or no _dot_. Your opinion of Innocentina----"

"Ah, it is changed, Monsieur, completely changed, I confess."

"Then, after all, it is Innocentina who has converted you."

Joseph bent his head to hide a flush. "Perhaps, Monsieur, if you put
it in that way. Yet it was not of myself nor of Innocentina I came to
talk, but of the plans of Monsieur."

"Plans? I've no plans," I answered dejectedly.

"Will Monsieur wish to proceed to-morrow morning as usual?"

"Proceed where?" I gloomily capped his question with another.

"On the way south, towards the Riviera, is it not? If we made an early
start, it might be possible to go by the route of la Grande
Chartreuse, and reach the monastery late in the afternoon. If Monsieur
wished to sleep t