e had received all his directions, rose to leave; but
the old man still detained him.

"Here," said he, "suppose you tell me a little about Caroline Schimmel.
You told Beaumarchef that she said I had made her scream, and that when
she caught me, I should have a bad time of it, eh?"

"You weren't my partner then," returned the lad with an impudent laugh;
"and I wanted to give you a bit of a fright. The truth is, that you made
the poor old girl so drunk that she has had to go to the hospital."

Tantaine was overjoyed at this news, and, rising from his seat, said,
"Where are you living now?"

"Nowhere in particular. Yesterday I slept in a stable, but there isn't
room for all my furniture there, so I must shift."

"Would you like to have my room for a day or two?" asked Tantaine,
chuckling at the boy's jest. "I have moved from there, but the attic is
mine for another fortnight yet."

"I'm gone; where is it?"

"You know well enough, in the Hotel de Perou, Rue de la Hachette. Then
I will send a line to the landlady;" and tearing a leaf from his
pocketbook, he scrawled on it a few words, saying that young relative of
his, M. Chupin, was to have his room.

This letter, together with his banknote, Toto carefully tied up in the
corner of his neckerchief, and as he crossed the street the old man
watched him for a moment, and then stood gazing at the workmen on the
scaffolding. Just then Gandelu and his son came out, and the contractor
paused to give a few instructions. For a few seconds Gaston and Chupin
stood side by side, and a strange smile flitted across Tantaine's face
as he noted this. "Both children of Paris," muttered he, "and both
striking examples of the boasted civilization. The dandy struts along
the pavement, while the street arab plays in the gutter."

But he had no time to spend in philosophical speculations, as the
omnibus that he required appeared, and entering it, in another half-hour
he entered Paul Violaine's lodgings in the Rue Montmartre.

The portress, Mother Brigaut, was at her post as Tantaine entered the
courtyard and asked,--

"And how is our young gentleman to-day?"

"Better, sir, ever so much better; I made him a lovely bowl of soup
yesterday, and he drank up every drop of it. He looks like a real king
this morning, and the doctor sent in a dozen of wine to-day, which will,
I am sure, effect a perfect cure."

With a smile and a nod Tantaine was making his way to the stairs, when
Mother