Joe Woods' rugged breast heaved in sorrow as he said, "Peyton,
I will stand by that child. So help me, God! And he thought of me
at the last--he thought of me!" The old miner chokes down a rising
sob. Both are in tears.
"Look here, Colonel!" said Woods briskly. "This will never do! You
will want to cheer up a little, for your trip, you know."
"Trip?" says the wondering Virginian.
"Why, yes," innocently remarks Joseph Woods. "You are going to
New Orleans to look up about the Valois boy. Then you are to see
those bankers at Havana, and get proof before the Consul-General
about the documents. I want you to send your affidavit to me. I've
got a lawyer in New York, who is a man. I'll write him. You can
tell him all. I'm coming on there soon. After you get to New York
from Havana, you will go to Paris and stay there till I come."
Peyton smiles even in his sadness. "That's a long journey, but I
am yours, Colonel. Why do I go to Paris?"
"You are going to answer the letter of that dead man," impressively
remarks Joseph.
"How?" murmurs Peyton.
"By being a father to his lonely child and watching over her.
There's two girls there. You can keep an eye on them both. I'll
trap this old scoundrel here.
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