"I was a good deal perplexed when I was presented to Mrs Hudson and her daughter, and apologized for my piratical appearance, as I made my obeisance with my broad-brimmed _chapeau de paille_ in my hand, and my red silk sash round my waist. 'Why, Mr De Walden,' said she, with a smile, and a most engaging motherly kindness, 'I must get my boy William (the young American officer you saw, sir, at the monte-table), 'to _rig_ you, as he calls it; for you are certainly, there is no denying it, rather a suspicious-looking character at present;' but this was too near the truth to be comfortable, and I blushed deeply. 'Never mind, Mr De Walden,' continued she, with the most delicate feminine perception, seasoned with a spice of archness, however, 'it was no speech of mine--it was Mademoiselle Sophie who has already christened you the young brigand.'" At this part of De Walden's story I looked up--"And pray, _who_ is Mademoiselle Sophie, who is so ready with her _soubriquets_?" He reddened like a rose--"Why, sir,--_that is--she is_ Mr Duquesné's only daughter, sir; you may have seen her." "I think I have, and I see something else, too," said I, significantly. "That same evening," he continued, resuming the thread of his discourse with great celerity, as if desirous of getting me away from observing his confusion, "one of the servants, as we were drinking coffee, brought me a sealed packet, that, from its weight, seemed to contain money. I opened it--it covered ten doubloons, with these words written in a bold hand, 'From an outcast, whose heart, although seared to the world, is warm towards Henry De Walden.--From one who has been liberally rewarded by the owners of the polacre, and can spare it.' "'Very absurd and romantic,' said I. "'Nothing so absurd in ten doubloons, my good boy, I calculate,' quoth Mr Hudson, scanning my outward man scrutinizingly. "'Pray, Mr Duquesné, will you be kind enough to ask who brought this?' "'The man who brought it was dressed like a Batabano smuggler, sir,' said the servant at whom his master had made the enquiry. "'Is he below?' "'No, señor; he said it required no answer, and did not wait.'