Volume II Part 14 (1/2)

”Poor young ?”

he interrupted hier ”Fanfaro has no doubt found a second father in you; I would like to wager that you were a friend of his parents, and have bestowed your friendshi+p upon the son”

”You are mistaken, my lord; I found Fanfaro on the road”

”Is one hears! Where did you find the boy?”

”Ah! that is an old story, but if it interests you I will relate it to you: One cold winter day, I rode with on--in which was, besides my stock, my family and soes, when I suddenly heard loud trumpet tones At first I did not pay any attention to thes were not uncommon then However, the tones were repeated, and I hurried in the direction froht which e lay unconscious over a dead trumpeter, and his small hands were nervously clutched about the trumpet It was plain that he had blown the notes I had heard and then fallen to the ground in a faint I took the poor little fellow in my arms; all around lay the bodies of hborhood had no doubt been too on arm cloaks, and because the poor fellow had blown such fanfares upon the trumpet, we had called him Fanfaro”

”Didn't he have any name?” asked the marquis, nervously

”That, my dear sir, wasn't so easy to find out Hardly had we taken the boy to us than he got the brain-fever, and for weeks lay on the brink of the grave When he at length recovered, he had lost his ain it At last he could ree where he had fore?” interrupted the outte, my lord”

The nobleman had almost uttered a cry, but he restrained hiuest's terrible excitement

”His name, too, and those of his parents and sister, we found out after a time,” continued Girdel; ”his father's name was Jules, his mother's Louise, his sister's Louison, and his own Jacques On the strength of his inforoutte, but found out very little The village had been set on fire by the Cossacks and destroyed Of the inhabitants only a feo I heard was that Jacques'sfarainst the Cossacks, but had been fairly blown into the air by them I returned home dissatisfied Fanfaro remained with us; he learned our tricks, and we love hie he has is a riddle to reat deal He is a genius, my lord marquis, and a treasure for our troupe”

Cold drops of perspiration stood on the nobleer any doubt: Fanfaro was his brother's son!

”Have you never been able to find out his family name?” he asked, after a pause

”No; the Cossacks set fire to the City Hall at Weissenbach and all the records there were destroyed An old shepherd said he had once been told that Jules was the scion of an old noble fa positive on this point, I could not find out--I--”

At this point the door was hastily opened and Fanfaro entered He rushed upon Girdel and enthusiastically cried:

”Thank God, Papa Girdel, that you are well again”

”You rascal, you,” laughed Girdel, looking proudly at the young ain to rescue some one”

”Monsieur Fanfaro,” said the marquis now, ”permit me once more to thank you for what you have done for me I can never repay you”

”Don't mention it, sir,” replied Fanfaro, modestly, ”I have only done my duty”

”Well I hope if you should ever need rateful”

When the marquis went downstairs shortly afterward, he found Si him

”Simon,” he said, hurriedly, ”do you knoho Fanfaro is?”

”No, ereuse”