covered his table to overflowing. But, alas! the telegrams which he
received daily from Tonquin left him little hope that he should ever
again behold in the flesh this dear son, of whom now he was so proud.

[Illustration: "HERE HE IS!"]

One morning, three months later, Mons. Sauvallier was at work in his
office, when the door opened softly, and disclosed Andrée's curly head.
The little one seemed in high spirits, her eyes sparkled with glee.
"See, grandfather, here he is!" she said, and led into the room Captain
Sauvallier.

Auguste and his wife followed the pair. Mons. Sauvallier, taken
completely by surprise, rose quickly from his chair, then stood
motionless, overcome by his emotion. He saw before him Camille, with the
scar upon his forehead, and the cross upon his breast--Camille, the hero
of the hour, who had shed such lustre upon the family name!

Timid and embarrassed, like a child who has been guilty of a fault,
Camille stood with bowed head, and when he saw how much his father had
aged, he knew that it was his conduct which had wrought the sad change,
and his contrition was deepened tenfold.

But as he was about to throw himself at his father's feet, Mons.
Sauvallier, with a sudden movement, clasped him to his breast,
exclaiming, in a voice full of tears, "No, Camille! in my arms! in
my arms!"

Father and son, locked together in closest embrace, mingled their sobs,
while Auguste and his wife, looking on, wept in sympathy.