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The night passes; the next day dawns, deepens, grows into noon, and still nothing happens to relieve the terrible anxiety that is felt by all within the castle as to the fate of its , idly but incessantly, what can have becooes, so does the third and the fourth, the fifth and the sixth, and then the seventh dawns

Florence Del fears and e in her roo on her hands, suddenly raising her eyes, sees Dora standing before her

Theis looking haggard and hollow-eyed All her dainty freshness has gone, and she now looks in years what in reality she is, close on thirty-five Her lips are pale and drooping, her cheeks colorless; her whole air is suggestive of deep depression, the result of sleepless nights and days filled with grief and suspense of the nant nature

"Alas, hoell she loves hi her in silence Dora, advancing, lays her hand upon the table near Florence, and says, in a hurried impassioned tone-"Oh, Florence, what has become of him? What has been done to him? I have tried to hide my terrible anxiety for the past two ointo a chair, looks as if she is going to faint Florence, greatly alar to her, places her arh to support her But Dora repulses her alhly and motions her away

"Do not touch me!" she cries hoarsely "Do not come near me; you, of all people, should be the last to come to my assistance! Besides, I am not here to talk about myself, but of him Florence, have you any suspicion?"

Dora leans forward and looks scrutinizingly at her cousin, as though fearing, yet hoping to get an answer in the affirmative But Florence shakes her head

"I have no suspicion--none," she answers sadly "If I had should I not act upon it, whatever it h iht cost you?"

Her

"Yes," she says at last "No earthly consideration should keep ht by accident or otherwise become possessed of to lay bare this , I implore, I entreat you to say so"