owly drew himself back into the room, exhibiting a lean,
yellow face, surrounded with dishevelled hair, and ornamented
by black unkempt beard and moustache.

"_Monsieur votre pere_ does not arrive apparently,
Mademoiselle," he said.

"I have not seen him come in, Monsieur," answered Madelon; "I
thought he was perhaps here."

"Not at all, I have seen nothing of him this evening. But this
is perhaps a trick that Monsieur le Papa is playing me; he
fears to give me his little revenge of which he spoke, and
wishes to keep out of my way. What do you say to that,
Mademoiselle?"

"I am quite sure it is not so," answered Madelon, with a
little defiant air. "I heard papa say it was quite by chance
he had lost all that money to you, for you did not understand
the first principles of the game."

"Ah! he said that? But it is lucky for us other poor devils
that we have these chances sometimes! You will at least admit
that, Mademoiselle?"

"Papa plays better than anyone," says Madelon, retreating from
argument to the safer ground of assertion, and still standing
in the middle of the room in her defiant attitude, with her
hands clasped behind her.

"Without a doubt, Mademoiselle; but then, as he says, we also
have our chances. Well, I cannot wait for mine this evening,
for it is nearly midnight, and I have another appointment.
These gentlemen will wonder what has become of me.
Mademoiselle, I have the honour to wish you good evening."

He made a profound bow, and left the room.

Madelon gave a great sigh, and then came out into the passage
again where Horace was standing. He had been a somewhat
bewildered spectator of this queer little interview, but the
child evidently saw nothing out of the way in it, for she made
no remark upon it, and only said rather piteously,

"I cannot imagine where papa can be; I do wish he would come
back."

"Does he often stay out so late as this?" asked Graham.

"Oh! yes, often, but not when he says he is coming in early,
or when he is expecting anyone."

"And do you know where he is gone?"

"No, not at all. He said he was going to dine with some
gentlemen, but I don't know where! Oh! do you think anything--
anything can have happened?" cried Madelon, her hidden anxiety
suddenly finding utterance.

"Indeed I do not," answered Graham, in his kindest voice. "His
friends have persuaded him to stay late, I have no doubt; you
must not be so uneasy--these things often happen, you know. Let