I said. Now that I saw Vitalis, I felt
that it would be impossible to tell him that I wanted to leave him and
stay with Mrs. Milligan.

We reached the hotel where Mrs. Milligan was staying, before my story
was ended. Vitalis had not mentioned what she had proposed to him in her
letter, so I said nothing of her plan.

"Is this lady expecting me?" he asked, as we entered the hotel.

"Yes, I'll take you up to her apartment," I said.

"There's no occasion for that," he replied; "I'll go up alone; you wait
here for me with Pretty-Heart and the dogs."

I had always obeyed him, but in this case I felt that it was only fair
for me to go up with him to Mrs. Milligan's apartment. But with a sign
he stopped the words on my lips, and I was forced to stay below with the
dogs.

Why didn't he want me to be present when he spoke to Mrs. Milligan? I
asked myself this question again and again. I was still pondering over
it when he returned.

"Go and say good-by to the lady," he said, briefly. "I'll wait for you
here. We shall go in ten minutes."

I was thunderstruck.

"Well," he said, "didn't you understand me? You stand there like a
stupid! Hurry up!"

He had never spoken so roughly to me. Mechanically I got up to obey, not
seeming to understand. "What did you say to her?" I asked, after I had
gone a few steps.

"I said that I needed you and that you needed me, and consequently I was
not going to give up my rights to you. Go; I give you ten minutes to say
good-by."

I was so possessed by the fact that I was a foundling, that I thought
that if I had to leave immediately it was because my master had told
them about my birth.

Upon entering Mrs. Milligan's apartment I found Arthur in tears and his
mother bending over him.

"You won't go, Remi! Oh, Remi, tell me you won't go," he sobbed.

I could not speak. Mrs. Milligan replied for me, telling Arthur that I
had to do as I was told.

"Signor Vitalis would not consent to let us have you," said Mrs.
Milligan in a voice so sad.

"He's a wicked man!" cried Arthur.

"No, he is not a wicked man," continued Mrs. Milligan; "he loves you ...
and he needs you. He speaks like a man far above his position. He told
me,--let me see, these were his words:

"'I love that child, and he loves me. The apprenticeship in the life
that I give him is good for him, better, far better, than he would have
with you. You would give him an education, that is true; you would form
his mind, bu