been burnt. He had them built into the chimney of a house, then being erected for an office, and thus effectually concealed.
"This house," the declaration went on to say, "is the one now occupied by Mr. Beman as an office, in P———, Kentucky; and the papers will be found in the chimney, on the south side, five courses of brick from the floor."
"But," said the clergyman, at this point, "I have been to P———, according to my father's direction, and found that the old building has been torn away for more than six months, and a new house is now in process of erection on the same site."
"If I am not mistaken," said Madame Lefrette, "I hear the voice of this same Mr. Beman." And a moment afterward that gentleman was ushered into the room.
CONCLUSION.
Monsieur Maillefert, as we have said, declined the seat offered him, and went in search of the brisk little widow Dupley. He found her without difficulty; and, in view of his age and well-accredited character for steadiness, I grieve to relate that his first movement was to throw his arm, with a graceful flourish, around her plump figure, and sans cérémonie, snatch two or three kisses from her full red lips. The robbery was, however, not very fiercely resisted; and an observer might even have suspected that it was not the first depredation. A merry laugh and a volley of French raillery, discharged as only a Frenchwoman can manage such a fusillade, were his only punishment. She did not remove the hand which grasped her waist until, after half an hour spent in walking, like two younger lovers, up and down the floor, they were interrupted by the knock of Mr. Beman. A little vexed, even then, at the interruption, she ran to the door, and having shown the lawyer to Madame Lefrette's room, came hastily back to her youthful swain.
The brief interlude, however, had given him time to recollect himself; and he was about to take his leave, excusing himself upon the ground that he had left De Cheville waiting for him, when she
