Page 20 (1/2)

M Chateaudoux pretended not to hear

"I want nothing," he said, "nothing in the world;" and he repeated the

stateentleled one

before Chateaudoux's eyes Not for anything would Chateaudoux take that

purse

"Go away," he cried; "I have a sufficiency of purses, and I will not be

plagued by you"

They were now at the steps of the villa, and the sentry, lifting the

butt of his hly thrust the hawker back

"What have you there? Bring your basket here," said he; and to

Chateaudoux's consternation the hawker immediately offered the purse to

the sentinel

"It is only the poor who have kind hearts," he said; "here's the proper

purse for a soldier It is so hard to get the money out that a man is

saved an ocean of drink"

The hawker's readiness destroyed any suspicions the sentinel may have

felt

"Go away," he said, "quick!"

"You will buy the purse?"

The sentinel raised his entleman will," said the hawker, and he thrust the purse

into M Chateaudoux's reluctant hand Chateaudoux could feel within the

purse a folded paper He was com a coin into the roadway and got him into the