-way."

"My God! and the villain"--

"Lives!" cried Madame.

He rushed to the door, forgetting that it was locked.

"Give me that key!" he cried, wrenched at the knob, turned away
bewildered, turned again toward it, and again away; and at every step
and turn he cried, "Oh! my son, my son! I have killed my son! Oh! Mossy,
my son, my little boy! Oh! my son, my son!"

Madame buried her face in her hands and sobbed aloud. Then the father
hushed his cries and stood for a moment before her.

"Give me the key, Clarisse, let me go."

She rose and laid her face on his shoulder.

"What is it, Clarisse?" asked he.

"Your son and I were ten years betrothed."

"Oh, my child!"

"Because, being disinherited, he would not be me husband."

"Alas! would to God I had known it! Oh! Mossy, my son."

"Oh! Monsieur," cried the lady, clasping her hands, "forgive me--mourn
no more--your son is unharmed! I wrote the article--I am your recanting
slanderer! Your son is hunting for me now. I told my aunt to misdirect
him. I slipped by him unseen in the carriage-way."

The wild old General, having already staggered back and rushed forward
again, would have seized her in his arms, had not the little Doctor
himself at that instant violently rattled the door and shook his finger
at them playfully as he peered through the glass.

"Behold!" said Madame, attempting a smile: "open to your son; here is
the key."

She sank into a chair.

Father and son leaped into each other's arms; then turned to Madame:

"Ah! thou lovely mischief-maker"--

She had fainted away.

"Ah! well, keep out of the way, if you please, papa," said Dr. Mossy, as
Madame presently reopened her eyes; "no wonder you fainted; you have
finished some hard work--see; here; no; Clarisse, dear, take this."

Father and son stood side by side, tenderly regarding her as she
revived.

"Now, papa, you may kiss her; she is quite herself again, already."

"My daughter!" said the stately General; "this--is my son's ransom; and,
with this,--I withdraw the Villivicencio ticket."

"You shall not," exclaimed the laughing lady, throwing her arms about
his neck.

"But, yes!" he insisted; "my faith! you will at least allow me to remove
my dead from the field."

"But, certainly;" said the son; "see, Clarisse, here is Madame, your
aunt, asking us all into the house. Let us go."

The group passed out into the Rue Royale, Dr. Mossy shutting the door
behind them. The sky was blu