CHAPTER I

THE JOURNEY


The Duchess of Banford and her two children were driving toward their
villa, when, owing to the roughness of the road, the front wheel of
their coach was suddenly broken. Considerably frightened, mother and
children quickly alighted. The approaching darkness, coupled with the
loneliness of the place, added to the difficulty; for the prospect of
spending the night in the woods was particularly distressing.

Just then a stable-boy chanced along and seeing the predicament, said:
"Oh, that wheel can be easily mended. Not far from here there lives a
wheelwright, and I am sure he can repair it in a very short time." The
boy then looked about him, and seeing a long pole, said: "We can use
this to support the wagon as it drags along. The road is rugged, and it
will take us about an hour to get there."

"Is there no shorter route?" inquired the Duchess.

"This is the only wagon road; but if you wish, I will lead you along a
shorter path across the fields which will cut the distance in half."

The Duchess thanked him, and asked: "Do you think that we may take this
pole? It seems to me as though some wood-cutter had left it here to prop
a tree."