Indignant at this refusal of my Eurydice, I immediately resolved to quit those ungrateful shades, and return to this good world again, to behold the sun and you! Here I am; let us avenge ourselves!

B. FRANKLIN.

As regarded marriage, the widow was obdurate, but their friendship suffered no diminution on account of the rejected proposal.

One bright morning in the fall of the year 1784, there came a knock on the door of Dr. Franklin's study, and in response to his "Come in," a servant entered and announced: "Lieutenant Wilfrid Shelby."

"Admit him at once," said the doctor.

The door was shortly reopened, and Wilfrid Shelby, bronzed by sun and exposure, entered quickly, and grasped the good doctor by the hand.

"May God and the Continental Congress bless you," cried the doctor, rising with difficulty. I have heard good reports of you and I am proud of you."

"I am grateful for your kind words, dear Doctor Franklin," said Wilfrid. "I have but done my duty to my country, and as affairs have quieted down, I have left matters in the hands of men as patriotic as I have ever been, and I now wish to go back to America with Frances and settle down."

He left with Dr. Franklin, a strong letter of commendation from Com. John Paul Jones.

They now resolved to journey back to America, and in view of the fact that the marquise was very desirous of going to the colonies to make a long visit to her son, and would accompany them, it was decided to postpone their marriage until their arrival home, with the hope that the bitter feelings of Harlin Fentress, on his daughter's return, might in some way be appeased, and that they might all live happily together.

Wilfrid particularly desired to reach home, as his father, Capt. Anthony, was very aged, and he wished to see him before he would, in the natural course of events, end his days.

There were many sad partings for the young couple and the marquise, although the sorrow of parting between Frances and Mlle. de Passy was somewhat mitigated by the fact that the latter had whispered to Frances the fact of her engagement to M. de Tonnerre.

The leave-taking of Dr. Franklin was most affecting. The tears rolled down the face of the dear old man as he held their hands in his.

"Good-bye, my children, for a little while; not for long I sincerely hope. Shortly, I shall lay down my work here. If God wills, I shall set sail for America as soon as that work is completed, and I hope we may all meet again in that country to which we have given our best services."

Would fate will it that they should meet again, across the great waters, in their own country? There were trials and afflictions still in store for them ere they could hope to reach the haven of their aspirations.

As they were about to leave Paris, the marquise received an affectionate letter from her son, Florentin, who wrote in answer to hers apprising him of her coming visit, that he would await her arrival in New York City, and wishing her and Frances and Mr. Shelby a pleasant voyage.

"As I cannot know what packet you will take," he wrote, "come direct to Fraunce's Tavern, when you arrive. I shall make that my home until you join me."

They sailed from Havre at the full of tide, near the close of a most beautiful day. As they sat on the deck watching the fast receding shore, one can readily im

agine the mingled feelings of sorrow, expectancy and hope which filled the breasts of Frances and Wilfrid, who were once more launched upon a troubled sea, an uncertain future before them; yet filled with the buoyancy of youth, comforted by faith and hope, and contented in each other's love.

Naught but pleasant emotions were experienced by the marquise. She had no regret at leaving the land of her birth, with the institutions of which she was not in accord. The sorrow of parting from a few lifelong friends was fleeting, compared with the unbounded joy that filled her heart in the contemplation of the reunion with her son, who, far from being the indifferent, carefree fellow of the past, was now, she had heard from many sources, a young man of ambition, and destined to become the blessing of her declining years.

THE

CHAPTER XXIX

THE MAN WHO MADE AMERICA

HE passage of the Conway resolution and the subsequent Address to the king sounded the deathknell of the Tories. The king was obliged to yield; Lord North went out, as did his colleagues, and the Whigs came into power; James Fox and Lord Shelbourne, became secretaries of state; Gen. Conway, commander-in-chief; Burke, paymaster-general; Col. Barre, treasurer of the navy; Dunning, Franklin's old friend and counsel, a peer and chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster; Lord Howe, raised a step in the peerage; and the Marquis of Rockingham, premier. All of these were old friends of America and of Franklin.

About three weeks after the change in the British ministry, an old English friend of Dr. Franklin arrived at Passy, bringing a stranger with him. When they were seated in Franklin's study, the friend said:

"Doctor Franklin, this gentleman is Mr. Richard Oswald a retired London merchant, who has kept aloof from politics and who has come on a mission to you from motives of pure benevolence. As his mission is a secret one, I will withdraw and leave you two gentlemen to talk the matter over together."

Mr. Oswald's first act was to present his credentials in the form of a highly commendatory letter from Lord Shelburne, Secretary of State for North America.

"The situation is somewhat peculiar," said Mr. Oswald, "Lord Shelburne has jurisdiction over American affairs, while Mr. Fox must deal with the French king. If this is to be a general peace, Lord Shelburne and Mr. Fox must act in concert, which is not probable, for they are not on good terms."

"You speak very frankly," remarked Dr. Franklin.

"I hope you will follow my example," said Mr. Oswald. "It is absolutely necessary that we should both do so."

"I agree with you," returned Franklin. "There can be no peace unless it is a general one. As the representative of the American Colonies, I have given my word to this effect to Count de Vergennes. We can do nothing until we have conferred with him."

The next day they went to Versailles. Mr. Oswald's first inquiry was:

"What terms does France propose?"

"The king proposes nothing," the count replied. "England is at war with four nations. It will be hard to secure concert of action on their part. England has no allies, is bound by no treaties, and can speak without restraint from others."

On the way back to Passy, Mr. Oswald said to Franklin:

"If France asks too much, England will fight to the last man."

"Money will be needed, as well as men," rejoined Franklin.

"We have plenty of that," said Mr. Oswald. "It will be easy to devise new systems of taxation, and, if all else fails, to stop the payment of the interest on the public debt."