Page 348 (1/2)

"And let us make the most of that," said Ermine, quickly

Meanwhile Alison, sore and sick at heart, wandered on the esplanade,

foreboding that the bloas coht to rejoice at, if her

love could only be more unselfish At last the Colonel joined her, and,

as usual, his tone of consideration cheered and supported her when in

actual conference with him, and as he explained his plans, he added that

he hoped there would be scarcely any interruption to her intercourse

with her sister

"You know," she said abruptly, "that we could go to Ekaterinburg"

"And what is your feeling about it? Remember, Ailie, that I as--no doubt you are in

without Ermine, and she will not help

me now And she has been so ith the excite detention of yours, that I don't dare to say a word that could

prey on her"

"In fact, you would chiefly be decided by Edward's oishes"

"If I were sure of thehed poor Alison; "but he lives on

experiments, and can hardly detach himself from them even to attend