me and watch his opportunity.

The facts of the case were simply these: There had been some question of
finding Madeleine occupation in Paris, for it had become desirable that
something should be done to give her the means of earning her own
livelihood, and Miss Rosa, who had caught scraps of conversation between
the father and son, had just put two and two together in her fanciful
way, and had jumped to her own conclusions not complimentary to the
Sainte Nitouche.

It so chanced that at the time Madeleine's future status was under
consideration, I was able to visit Lyons, so I had at last an
opportunity of seeing my friend's protegee. It had been arranged that I
should meet her at the hospital in the Econome's Office, and I was not a
little anxious to see what she would be like. In the office I found
Monsieur Tamiasse, a small man, seated at a disproportionately large
table. I was struck, too, by the size of the fine old room, and somewhat
overawed by its contents.

There was an air of systematic order and bureaucratic rule about it that
did not fail to impress a frail Bohemian like myself; there were many
books, boxes, and cases about, labelled, ticketed, and docketed, and I
felt sure I was going to be placed in safe custody somewhere in a
pigeon-hole, neatly linked to Claude, Madeleine, and the doctors. But
Monsieur Tamiasse soon put me at my ease. He was a bright, genial little
man, a first-class Econome, wearing a second-class wig, and probably in
receipt of a third-class salary. I was Monsieur Dupont's ambassador and
plenipotentiary, and as such I was received with a warm welcome, and
officially thanked for all that had been done for Madeleine. I could but
return the compliment, for Monsieur Tamiasse had quite constituted
himself her guardian, and had proved himself a most practical and useful
friend, ever ready to smooth any little difficulties that came in her
way. We soon got to the object of my visit, and talked over the next
step to take in Madeleine's interest.

An extensive business in ecclesiastical embroideries is carried on in
Lyons, and it had been suggested that she should enter an _atelier de
broderie_. Claude had already expressed his approval, so nothing
remained but to find a suitable opening for her. An excellent lady, who
was at the head of such an atelier, was a personal friend of the
Econome's, and so all could be soon satisfactorily settled.

When our little consultation was at an end, Ma