Roguin, the notary of Madame Descoings and Madame Bridau, absconded with the moneys held back for seven years from Madame Descoings's annuity, which by that time were producing two thousand francs a year.

Three days after this disaster, a bill of exchange for a thousand francs, drawn by Philippe upon his mother, arrived from New York.

The poor fellow, misled like so many others, had lost his all in the Champ d'Asile.

A letter, which accompanied the bill, drove Agathe, Joseph, and the Descoings to tears, and told of debts contracted in New York, where his comrades in misfortunes had indorsed for him.
"It was I who made him go!" cried the poor mother, eager to divert the blame from Philippe.
"I advise you not to send him on many such journeys," said the old Descoings to her niece.
Madame Descoings was heroic.

She continued to give the three thousand francs a year to Madame Bridau, but she still paid the dues on her trey which had never turned up since the year 1799.