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The old woman stood silent for a moment, with a face of intense horror,

and then she clasped both hands with a wild cry

"O my God! And they buried her alive--buried her alive in that dreadful

plague-pit!"

La Masque, leaning against a pillar, stood unmoved; and her voice, when

she spoke, was as coldly sweet as modern ice-cream

"Not exactly She was not buried at all, as I happen to know But when

did you discover that she had the plague, and how could she possibly

have caught it?"

"That I do not know, h not

in such high spirits as a bride should be Toward evening die co of faintness; but I thought nothing of it,

and helped her to dress for the bridal Before it was over, the headache

and faintness greorse, and I gave her wine, and still suspected

nothing The last tirown sodress, she had lain down on her bed, looking

for all the world like a ghost, and toldpain in her chest Then, madame, the horrid truth struck h, was the awful ue!' I shrieked; and then I fled down

stairs and out of the house, like one crazy O et it--it was terrible! I shall never forget it! Poor, poor

child; and the count does not knoord of it!"

La Masque laughed--a sweet, clear, deriding laugh, "So the count does