hing
active to do, and left the room.

"Madame de Bois-Hebert," Chrysler said, "have you news from Mademoiselle
Josephte?"

"That young person," replied she, "has descended to the plane of her
condition: I have no further interest in her."

But the devout lady sighed.

The Gulf storm lowered steadily and disagreeably all next day and the
visitor saw nothing of Chamilly, who kept in his room until the evening.
But there was one excitement which occupied everyone else's attention:

"Who do you think struck Francois?" Chrysler said to Zotique at the
Circuit Court House.

"The Bonhomme has tracked Spoon through every bush and bay on the coast,
and has caught him getting aboard the steamboat at Petite Argentenaye,"
the Registrar replied.

A crowd came down the road. All the crowd were excited. They ran about a
long waggon in which were on the first seat, the Honorable and Bonhomme;
on the second a constable and prisoner handcuffed. Spoon, who cowered
like a captured wild beast ready to whine with fright, was clapped into
a private room and a stray Bleu flew off for Libergent to act as
advocate. The crowd, soon uncomfortably larger, diverted itself by
taking oratorical views of his guilt or innocence: but the prevailing
opinion of the prisoner personally was expressed by one in an
unfastidious proverb: "Grosse crache, grosse canaille."

Libergent, accompanied by De Bleury, came over at once, for he had a
good deal at stake in seeing that Spoon's trial should lead to no
unpleasant revelations or consequences to the party. Closeted not more
than half an hour he came out and said publicly to l'Honorable, who took
seat as Magistrate upon the Bench under the great lion-and-unicorn
painting. "My client makes option of opening the investigation at once.
He is not guilty of the charge and can clear himself."

The Bonhomme cried excitedly,--"It's false!" His wife joined him with a
wild scream of disappointment. A murmuring ran about. "Silence!" shouted
the constable.

Every one involuntarily obeyed; and Chrysler absorbed himself examining
the articles taken from the prisoner's person.

The evidence was as soon disposed of as Libergent could have wished.
Josephte gave her testimony to the appearance and surroundings of the
injured man as she had found him. She could relate no circumstances that
pointed to Spoon. The Bonhomme eagerly proffered his evidence. It was
torn to tatters by the advocate: he had nothing to tell but