nning of
February, but which happily lasted until the conclusion of the treaty
of peace between the two countries.

Colonel Le Noir had not been destined soon to die; his wound, an inward
canker from a copper bullet, that the surgeon had at length succeeded
in extracting, took the form of a chronic fester disease. Since the
night upon which he had been so extremely ill to be supposed dying, and
yet had rallied, the doctors felt no apprehensions of his speedy death,
though they gave no hopes of his final recovery.

Under these circumstances there were hours in which Le Noir bitterly
regretted his precipitation in permitting those important documents to
go out of his own hands. And he frequently sent for Herbert Greyson in
private to require assurances that he would not open the packet
confided to him before the occurrence of the event specified.

And Herbert always soothed the sufferer by reiterating his promise that
so long as Colonel Le Noir should survive the seals of that packet
should not be broken.

Beyond the suspicion that the parcel contained an important confession,
Herbert Greyson was entirely ignorant of its contents.

But the life of Gabriel Le Noir was prolonged beyond all human calculus
of probabilities.

He was spared to experience a more effectual repentance than that
spurious one into which he had been frightened by the seeming rapid
approach of death. And after seven months of lingering illness and
gradual decline, during the latter portions of which he was comforted
by the society of his only son, who had come at his summons to visit
him, in May, 1848, Gabriel Le Noir expired a sincere penitent,
reconciled to God and man.

And soon afterward, in the month of May, the treaty of peace having
been ratified by the Mexican Congress at Queretaro, the American army
evacuated the city and territory of Mexico.

And our brave soldiers, their "brows crowned with victorious wreaths,"
set out upon their return to home and friends.

CHAPTER XXV.

THE FORTUNATE BATH.

Heaven has to all allotted soon or late
Some lucky revolution of their fate;
Whose motions if we watch and guide with skill
(For human good depends on human will)
Our fortune rolls as from a smooth descent.
And from the first impression takes its bent.
Now, now she meets you with a glorious prize,
And spreads her locks before her as she files.

--Dryden.

Meanwhile, w