actress. But, as every man who has reached the Senator's age is ruefully
aware, very young women can act on occasion in ordinary every day life, as
no professional actress of genius ever did or ever will do on a stage.

Madame Poulain went off briskly, and when she came back a few moments
later, there was a look of relief, almost of joy, on her face. "The cab is
here," she exclaimed, "and Jules has brought down madame's trunk."

Nancy looked at the speaker quickly. Then she was "madame" again? Well,
that was something.

"Three francs--that will quite satisfy us," said Madame Poulain, handing
over the change for her English sovereign. It was a gold napoleon and a
two-franc piece. For the first time directly addressing Mrs. Dampier,
"There has evidently been a mistake," she said civilly. "No doubt monsieur
left madame at the door, and went off to his studio last night. I expect
madame will find monsieur there, quite safe and sound."

Senator Burton, well as he believed himself to be acquainted with his
landlady, would have been very much taken aback had he visioned what
followed his own and Mrs. Dampier's departure from the Hotel Saint Ange.

Madame Poulain remained at the door of the porte cochere till the open
carriage turned the corner of the narrow street. Then she looked at
her nephew.

"How much did she give you?" she asked roughly. And the young man
reluctantly opened a grimy hand and showed a two franc piece.

She snatched it from him, and motioned him back imperiously towards the