ook, and that Spanish cast of face for which so many
Dutch families are remarkable. He sat down, weary and hungry, on one of
the benches of the Pont de la Cite, and looked about him wistfully, to
see what piece of fortune might come to his succour. A loud shout, and
the noise of people flying in every direction, attracted him. He jumped
up, and saw persons running hither and thither to escape from a caleche,
which a pair of runaway horses were tearing along at a frightful rate.
Frank blessed himself, threw off his cloak, pressed his cap firmly upon
his brow, and dashed forward. The affrighted animals slackened their
speed as he stood before them, and endeavoured to pass by; but he sprang
to their heads, and with one vigorous plunge, grasped the bridle;
but though he held on manfully, they continued their way; and,
notwithstanding his every effort, their mad speed scarcely felt his
weight, as he was dragged along beside them. With one tremendous effort,
however, he wrested the near horse's head from the pole, and, thus
compelling him to cross his fore-legs, the animal tripped, and came
headlong to the ground with a smash, that sent poor Frank spinning
some twenty yards before them. Frank soon got up again; and though his.
forehead was bleeding, and his hand severely cut, his greatest grief
was, his torn doublet, which, threadbare before, now hung around him in
ribbons.

"It was you who stopped them?--are you hurt?" said a tall, handsome man,
plainly but well dressed, and in whose face the trace of agitation was
clearly marked.

"Yes, sir," said Frank, bowing respectfully. "I did it; and see how my
poor doublet has suffered!"

"Nothing worse than that?" said the other, smiling blandly. "Well, well,
that is not of so much moment. Take this," said he, handing him his
purse; "buy yourself a new doublet, and wait on me to-morrow by eleven."

With these words the stranger disappeared in a caleche, which seemed
to arrive at the moment, leaving Frank in a state of wonderment at the
whole adventure.

"How droll he should never have told me where he lives!" said he, aloud,
as the bystanders crowded about him, and showered questions upon him.

"It is Monsieur le Ministre, man--M. de Louvois himself, whose life
you've saved. Your fortune is made for ever."

The speech was a true one. Before three months from that eventful
day, M. de Louvois, who had observed and noted down certain traits of
acuteness in Frank's character, se