congratulating smiles. "How right you have been, Duplessis, when you
have laughed at those who have said, 'The Emperor is ill, decrepit, done
up.'"

"Vive l'Empereur! at least we shall be face to face with those insolent
Prussians!"

Before he arrived at his home, passing along the Boulevards, greeted by
all the groups enjoying the cool night air before the cafes, Duplessis
had caught the war epidemic.

Entering his hotel, he went at once to Valerie's chamber. "Sleep well
to-night, child; Alain has told me that he adores thee, and if he will go
to the war, it is that he may lay his laurels at thy feet. Bless thee,
my child, thou couldst not have made a nobler choice."

Whether, after these words, Valerie slept well or not 'tis not for me to
say; but if she did sleep, I venture to guess that her dreams were rose-
coloured.




CHAPTER VII.

All the earlier part of that next day, Graham Vane remained in-doors--a
lovely day at Paris that 8th of July, and with that summer day all hearts
at Paris were in unison. Discontent was charmed into enthusiasm--
Belleville and Montmartre forgot the visions of Communism and Socialism
and other "isms" not to be realised except in some undiscovered Atlantis!