of land my father bought from
his earnings as ploughboy. He cultivated them in his leisure hours, and
there is literally not a foot of soil which he has not moistened with
the sweat of his brow. They are sacred to me; but the rest--I have
already given orders."

"And you expect to sell every thing in the three days before your
departure?"

"Oh, no! But you are here."

"What can I do?"

"Take my place, I should think. I will leave you a power-of-attorney.
Perhaps, if you make haste, you can get fifty thousand dollars for the
property. You will invest that so as to be able to use it any moment.
And, if ever Miss Henrietta should be compelled to leave her father's
house, you will hand the money over to her."

M. de Brevan had turned very pale.

"Excuse me," he said, "excuse me."

"What?"

"Well, it seems to me it would be more suitable to leave some one else
in charge of that."

"Whom?"

"Oh! I do not know,--a more experienced man! It may be that the property
will not bring as much as you expect. Or I might invest the money in the
wrong funds. Money questions are so delicate!"

But Daniel said, shrugging his shoulders,--

"I do not understand why you should hesitate to undertake so simple a
thing, when you have already consented to render me so signal and so
difficult a service."

So simple! M. de Brevan did not look upon it in that light.

A nervous shiver, which he could hardly conceal, ran down his backbone;
drops of perspiration broke out on his temples; and he turned deadly
pale.

"Fifty thousand dollars! That is an enormous sum."

"Oh, yes!" replied Daniel in the most careless manner.

And, looking at the clock, he added,--

"Half-past three. Come, Maxime, be quick. My carriage is waiting. The
notary expects us between three and four o'clock."

This notary was an exceptional man. He took an interest in the affairs
of his clients, and sometimes even listened to hear their explanations.
When Daniel had told him what he intended doing, he replied,--

"You have nothing to do, M. Champcey, but to give M. de Brevan a
power-of-attorney in proper form."

"Would it be possible," asked Daniel, "to have it drawn up at once?"

"Why not? It can be recorded this evening; and to-morrow"--

"Well, then, lose no time."

The notary called his chief clerk, gave him briefly his instructions,
then, making a sign to Daniel, he drew him into a kind of recess
resembling an enormous cupboard, adjoining his of