A Magician

           WhenMrs.Weldon,onthe17thofthemonth,didnotseeCousinBenedictreappearattheaccustomedhour,shewasseizedwiththegreatestuneasiness.Shecouldnotimaginewhathadbecomeofherbigbaby.Thathehadsucceededinescapingfromthefactory,theenclosureofwhichwasabsolutelyimpassable,wasnotadmissible.Besides,Mrs.Weldonknewhercousin.Hadoneproposedtothisoriginaltoflee,abandoninghistinboxandhiscollectionofAfricaninsects,hewouldhaverefusedwithouttheshadowofhesitation.Now,theboxwasthereinthehut,intact,containingallthatthesavanthadbeenabletocollectsincehisarrivalonthecontinent.Tosupposethathewasvoluntarilyseparatedfromhisentomologicaltreasures,wasinadmissible.

           Nevertheless,CousinBenedictwasnolongerinJose-AntonioAlvez’sestablishment.

           DuringallthatdayMrs.Weldonlookedforhimpersistently.Little

           JackandtheslaveHalimajoinedher.Itwasuseless.

           Mrs.Weldonwasthenforcedtoadoptthissadhypothesis:theprisonerhadbeencarriedawaybythetrader’sorders,formotivesthatshecouldnotfathom.Butthen,whathadAlvezdonewithhim?Hadheincarceratedhiminoneofthebarracksofthelargesquare?Whythiscarryingaway,comingaftertheagreementmadebetweenMrs.WeldonandNegoro,anagreementwhichincludedCousinBenedictinthenumberoftheprisonerswhomthetraderwouldconducttoMossamedes,tobeplacedinJamesW.Weldon’shandsforaransom?

           IfMrs.