the house. A fortnight later, just as Charles had predicted, complete
forgetfulness settled down upon the Chalet, and proved to these women
the wisdom and dignity of his command.

Dumay sent agents to represent his master in New York, Paris, and
London, and followed up the assignments of the three banking-houses
whose failure had caused the ruin of the Havre house, thus realizing
five hundred thousand francs between 1826 and 1828, an eighth of
Charles's whole fortune; then, according to the latter's directions
given on the night of his departure, he sent that sum to New York
through the house of Mongenod to the credit of Monsieur Charles
Mignon. All this was done with military obedience, except in a matter
of withholding thirty thousand francs for the personal expenses of
Madame and Mademoiselle Mignon as the colonel had ordered him to do,
but which Dumay did not do. The Breton sold his own little house for
twenty thousand francs, which sum he gave to Madame Mignon, believing
that the more capital he sent to his colonel the sooner the latter
would return.

"He might perish for the want of thirty thousand francs," Dumay
remarked to Latournelle, who bought the little house at its full
value, where an apartment was always kept ready for the inhabitants of
the Chalet.



CHAPTER IV

A SIMPLE STORY