Her eyes had a strange radiance in them, which Paul, however, did not notice, as he was engaged in watching the old man, who, after carefully inspecting the document, secured it in one of the pockets of his ragged coat.
"You will, of course, understand, sir," remarked Paul, "that there is not much chance of my being able to save sufficient to meet this bill in four months, so that the date is a mere form." A smile of benevolence passed over Daddy Tantaine's features.

"And suppose," said he, "that I, the lender, was to put the borrower in a position to repay the advance before a month had passed ?" "Ah! but that is not possible." "I do not say, my young friend, that I could do this myself; but I have a good friend whose hand reaches a long way.

If I had only listened to his advice when I was younger, you would not have caught me to-day in the Hotel de Perou.

Shall I introduce you to him ?" "Am I a perfect fool, to throw away such a chance ?" "Good! I shall see him this evening, and will mention your name to him.
Call on him at noon to-morrow, and if he takes a fancy to you,--decides to push you, your future is assured, and you will have no doubts as to getting on." He took out a card from his pocket and handed it to Paul, adding, "The name of my friend is Mascarin." Meanwhile Rose, with a true Parisian's handiness, had contrived to restore order from chaos, and had arranged the table, with its one or two pieces of broken crockery, with scraps of brown paper instead of plates.

A fresh supply of wood crackled bravely on the hearth, and two candles, one of which was placed in a chipped bottle, and the other in a tarnished candlestick belonging to the porter of the hotel.