foreigners--but little risk. She had persuaded her
husband, whose vessel, owing to some slight accident at sea, had been
obliged to put in at the neighbouring port, to let her come to have a
look at the old town, at the old house, or garden rather, she still
loved so dearly. 'The house we used to live in,' she said, 'was empty. I
easily found my way in, and out on to the balcony, as you saw. I had a
sort of wild idea that perhaps I might see or hear something of you. Yet
I was almost afraid to ask, such terrible things have happened,' added
Charlotte, with a shudder.

"But nothing more terrible was in store for our young ladies, I am glad
to say," continued Dudu. "The faithful-hearted Charlotte and her husband
were able to be of the greatest service to Mademoiselle Jeanne and _her_
husband. They conveyed them in safety to the port and saw them on board
a friendly vessel, and not many weeks passed before they were again with
their children and the old Monsieur and Madame and Mademoiselle Eliane
in their home for the time in Switzerland."

"Oh, how glad I am!" exclaimed Jeanne. "I was dreadfully afraid your
story was going to end badly, Dudu."

"It is not ended yet," said Dudu.

"Isn't it?" cried Jeanne. "Oh dear, then go on quick, please. I _hope_
Mademoiselle Jeanne's poor husband----"

"Your great-grandfather, you mean," corrected Dudu.

"Oh, well then, my great-grandfather, _our_ great-grandfather, for he
was Cheri's, too, you said. I do so hope he got better. Did he, Dudu?"

"Yes," said Dudu, "he got better, but never quite well again. However,
he lived some years, long enough to see his boys grown up and to
return--after the death of our old Monsieur and Madame--to return to his
own country with his wife and sister-in-law. But before very long, while
still far from an old man, he died. Then our young ladies, young no
longer, came back, after a time, to their childish home; and here they
lived together quietly, kind and charitable to all, cheered from time to
time by the visits of Madame's two sons, out in the world now and
married, and with homes of their own. And time went on gently and
uneventfully, and gradually Madame's hair became quite, quite white, and
Mademoiselle Eliane took to limping a little in her walk with the
rheumatism, and when they slowly paced up and down the terrace it was
difficult for me to think they were really my pretty young ladies with
the white dresses and blue ribbons of half a ce