tram and was whirled away, and before Barbara
had decided whether to pursue an electric tram or not, Monsieur Pirenne
had reached her side and seized her reins. He looked really
frightened, and annoyed too, but when Barbara told him that the horse
had only been running in accordance with the will of her mistress, he
composed himself a little, merely remarking that it was hardly _comme
il faut_ to gallop in the streets like that.

"But, Monsieur Pirenne," Barbara said eagerly, "I know you would have
done the same if you had known the story;" and therewith she began to
tell it to him. He was immensely interested, for there is nothing a
Frenchman enjoys more than an adventure, and at the end of the tale he
was almost as excited as she was.

"Could we trace him now?" he questioned eagerly. "But--I fear the
chance is small--the description is so vague, and you did not even see
the name on the tram, and we have no proofs. Yet, mademoiselle, if you
will go to the _prefecture_ with me, I will do my best."

But Barbara shook her head decidedly. The thought of police courts,
especially French ones, alarmed her, and the warnings she had received
to keep out of any more "complications" were still very fresh in her
mind.

"I think I should rather not go to the _prefecture_, monsieur," she
said quickly. "I do not think it would be any good either."

"I agree with you perfectly." And Monsieur Pirenne bowed gallantly.
"Therefore, shall we proceed on our way? Does mademoiselle regret that
she did not catch him?" he asked, after a while.

"I am sorry he is not caught--but I am not sorry _I_ did not catch him,
though that seems rather contradictory, doesn't it?"

"By which mademoiselle means that she does not know what she would have
done with one hand on the miscreant's collar, the other on the reins,
and a crowd around her?" the Frenchman inquired politely.

"That's just it," laughed Barbara. "You have exactly described
it--though I should be glad if _some one_ caught him and made him give
back the money."

"I will keep my eyes open on your behalf, and shall let you know if
anything happens," he said sympathetically; and Barbara, remembering
his kindness, did not like to remind him that, never having seen the
man, he could not possibly be of much service to her.

When Mademoiselle Therese heard that she had seen the solicitor again,
she was almost as excited as Barbara had been, and at once proposed
that they shoul