Thiswould-beparagonhadnorecommendations，andaccountedforthisbysayingthattheyhadbeenburnedinarecentfireinhisfather’shouse。Mr。Marieswasnotforthcoming，andmorethanthis，Isuspectedanddislikedtheboy。However，heunderstoodmyEnglishandIhis，and，beingveryanxioustobeginmytravels，I
engagedhimfortwelvedollarsamonth，andsoonafterwardshecamebackwithacontract，inwhichhedeclaresbyallthatheholdsmostsacredthathewillservemefaithfullyforthewagesagreedupon，andtothisdocumentheaffixedhissealandImyname。Thenextdayheaskedmeforamonth’swagesinadvance，whichIgavehim，butDr。H。consolinglysuggestedthatIshouldneverseehimagain！
EversincethesolemnnightwhenthecontractwassignedIhavefeltunderanincubus，andsinceheappearedhereyesterday，punctualtotheappointedhour，IhavefeltasifIhadaveritable“oldmanofthesea“uponmyshoulders。Hefliesupstairsandalongthecorridorsasnoiselesslyasacat，andalreadyknowswhereIkeepallmythings。Nothingsurprisesorabasheshim，hebowsprofoundlytoSirHarryandLadyParkeswhenheencountersthem，butisobviously“quiteathome“inaLegation，andonlyallowedoneoftheorderliestoshowhimhowtoputonaMexicansaddleandEnglishbridleoutofcondescensiontomywishes。Heseemsassharpor“smart“ascanbe，andhasalreadyarrangedforthefirstthreedaysofmyjourney。HisnameisIto，andyouwilldoubtlesshearmuchmoreofhim，ashewillbemygoodorevilgeniusforthenextthreemonths。
AsnoEnglishladyhasyettravelledalonethroughtheinterior，myprojectexcitesaveryfriendlyinterestamongmyfriends，andI
receivemuchwarninganddissuasion，andalittleencouragement。