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"That was a nasty flash," said Colonel Everard, with an observant glance at the lovely Juliet-like figure on the balcony "Madeins to rain I will co her posture "I hear the singing so well out here Besides, I love the storm"

A tumultuous crash of thunder, treed, ain with anxious faces

"What are aiting for? Oh, ain,for, you and I? A pleading look--a stifled cry! Good-bye for ever---"

Horror! as that? A lithe swift serpent of fire twisting venoh the dark heavens! Zara raised her arms, looked up, s suddenness that we had scarcely recovered fro-flash,her lying prone before us on the balcony where one instant before she had stood erect and s! With exclamations of alarm and distress we lifted and bore her within the room and laid her tenderly down upon the nearest sofa At that , terrific thunder-clap--one only--as if a huge boround under our feet; and then with a swish and swirl of long pent-up and suddenly- released wrath, down came the rain

Amy's voice died away in a last "Good-bye!" and she rushed fro out: "What has happened? What is the -flash," I said, trying to speak calmly, while I loosened Zara's dress and sprinkled her forehead with eau-de-Cologne from a scent-bottle Mrs Challoner had handed to me "She will recover in a few minutes"

But my limbs trembled under me, and tears, in spite of myself, forced their way into my eyes

Heliobas meanwhile--his countenance white and set as a marble mask-- shut thefiercely, pulled down the blind, and drew the heavy silken curtains close He then approached his sister's senseless for her wrist tenderly, felt for her pulse We looked on in the deepest anxiety The Challoner girls shivered with terror, and began to cry Mrs Everard, with more self-possession, dipped a handkerchief in cold water and laid it on Zara's te lips--no sign of life was visible All this while the rain swept down in gusty torrents and rattled furiously against the -panes; while the wind, no longer a moan, had risen into a shriek, as of baffled yet vindictive anger At last Heliobas spoke