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During the repast, however, the brother and sister were strangely silent, and once or twice I fancied that Zara's eyes filled with tears, though she sain so quickly and radiantly that I felt I was mistaken

A piece of behaviour on the part of Leo, too, filledquietly at his ht, and lifting his nose in air, uttered a hly heartbroken and despairing than that cry I have never heard After he had concluded it, the poor anihead and tail, he kissed his master's hand, then mine, and lastly Zara's Finally, he went into a distant corner and lay down again, as if his feelings were altogether too ly

"I think not," replied Heliobas "The weather is peculiar to-day-- close, and ales"

At thata silver salver, on which lay a letter, which he handed to his master and irets he cannot dine with us to-day," he said, glancing at his sister; "he is otherwise engaged He says, however, that he hopes to have the pleasure of looking in during the latter part of the evening"

Zara inclined her head gently, and made no other reply

A few seconds afterwards we rose froh mine, said: "I want to have a talk with you while we can be alone Coether, followed by the wise yet doleful Leo, who seeht When we arrived at our destination, Zara pushed ently into an easy- chair, and seated herself in another one opposite

"I aan; "because I know you will do anything to please ht rely upon ; with the truest fidelity any request of hers, sreat

She thankedsecretly in my studio for some tins--one is finished, and is intended as a gift to Casimir The other"--she hesitated--"is incoure which was veiled when you first ca' I made an attempt beyond my powers--in short, I cannot carry out the idea to reat attention to what I say I have reason to believe that I shall be coone you will see that unfinished statue completely destroyed--utterly demolished"