Maggie had to tell Pat over and over that these were Miss Souzie and Miss
Francise. My father's eyes filled with tears as he thanked Alix for her
goodness and generosity to us.

Alas! the happiest days, like the saddest, have an end. On the morrow the
people in the flatboat came to say good-bye. Mario cried like a child.
Celeste carried Àlix's hands to her lips and said in the midst of her
tears:

"O Madame! I had got so used to you--I hoped never to leave you."

"I will come to see you, Celeste," replied Alix to the young mulattress,
"I promise you."

Maggie herself seemed moved, and in taking leave of Alix put two vigorous
kisses on her cheeks. As to our father, and us, too, the adieus were not
final, we having promised Mario and Gordon to stop [on their journey up
the shore of the bayou] as soon as we saw the flatboat.

"And we hope, my dear Carlo, to find you established in your
principality."

"Amen!" responded the Italian.

Alix added to her gifts two pairs of chamois-skin gloves and a box of
lovely artificial flowers. Two days after the flatboat had gone, we having
spent the night with Alix, came M. Gerbeau's carriage to take us once more
upon our journey. Ah! that was a terrible moment. Even Alix could scarce
hold back the tears. We refused to get into the carriage, and walked, all
of us together, to M. Gerbeau's, and then parted amid tears, kisses, and