she selected the bench on which he reposed, and forthwith woke him.

"Now this is nice!" he exclaimed, realising his lapse with a start.

"Oh, monsieur!" said she, blushing.

"Pardon; I referred to my having dozed when every moment is of
consequence," he explained. "And yet," he went on ruefully, "upon my
soul, I cannot conjecture where I shall go next!"

Her response was so sympathetic that it tempted him to remain a little
longer, and in five minutes she was recounting her own perplexities. It
transpired that she was a lady's-maid with a holiday, and the problem
before her was whether to spend her money on a theatre, or on a ball.

"Now that is a question which is disposed of instantly," said
Tricotrin, "You shall spend your money on a theatre, and go to a ball
as well." And out fluttered the pink pass presented to him by Lajeunie.

The girl's tongue was as lively as her gratitude. She was, she told
him, maid to the famous Colette Aubray, who had gone unattended that
afternoon to visit the owner of a villa in the country, where she would
stay until the next day but one. "So you see, monsieur, we poor
servants are left alone in the flat to amuse ourselves as best we can!"

"Mon Dieu!" ejaculated Tricotrin, and added mentally, "It was decidedly
the good kind fairies that pointed to this bench!"

He proceeded to pay the young woman such ardent attentions that she
assumed he meant to accompany her to the ball, and her disappointment