"Where, Madame?" inquired the driver.
"To the first telegraph office—quick!"
She had now time to examine the check. It was drawn on the house of Barring Brothers (where it is said the Emperor has an enormous bank-account), and was worded thus
"Pray pay to" (printed) "Mr. Peyton" (written) "or bearer the sum of" (printed) "three thousand pounds. Napoleon." (Written.)
No forgery there. Mrs. Peyton was too familiar with the handwriting of the Emperor to be deceived. Besides his annotation in the " Times' Scrap Book," Napoleon had frequently written hints for "Chronicle" articles, which were given to the political director," and which she had seen.
Mrs. Peyton's telegram to her husband was brief, but pointed:
"I have got the money."
This would have availed Peyton nothing, however, if a London friend of the wife's, relying implicitly on the truthfulness of her statement, had not advanced him the money on the spot.
This was about the end of Peyton's connection with the "Chronicle." The Emperor, utterly ignoring him, took the matter out of his hands, without a "by-your-leave," and placed it in those of a person who has received the honorary title of "the Emperor's dirty-work English agent"—whose name is Smith, and who lives in the King's Road, London.
Whether the tangled skein was ever successfully unravelled can- not now be known. Peyton was too glad to be rid of the responsibilities of the "Chronicle" ever to care to inquire about its welfare or its illfare. Those persons who are familiar with newspaperism in London, however, will remember that the "Chronicle," after reducing its size, coming out printed on straw paper, and other fallings from its once lofty eminence, finally died an ignominious and unlamented death.
