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Sir Adrian is still a great invalid The shock to his nervous syste out of those interminable hours in the lonely chamber, and the strain upon his physical powers by the absence of nutrihts, had all coreatly improved in health, and has been recommended by his doctors to try a winter in the south of France or Algiers

He shows hiely reluctant to quit his home, and, whenever the subject is ly upon Florence, if she is present, and then, receiving no returning glance frohs, and puts the matter from him

He has so earnestly entreated both Dora and Miss Delmaine not to desert hiwood is also staying at the castle, and Ethel Villiers has gained her father's consent to re as chaperon, they are by no means a dull party

To-day, the first ti to her easel, draws its cover away froo it seelad in the belief that the one she loved loved her! yet all that tih now, at odd ine that his every glance and word speaks of tenderness for her, and not for Dora--still this very knowledge only hardens her heart toward him, and renders her cold and unsympathetic in his presence

No, she will have no fickle lover And yet, how kind he is--how earnest, how honest is his glance! Oh, that she could believe all the past to be an evil dreaain as her very own, as in the dear old days gone by!

Even while thinking this she idly opens a book lying on the table near her, where some brushes and paints are scattered A piece of paper drops fro it, she sees it is the letter written by hiht to her, here to this very roo her advice as to whether she should or should not meet him by appointment in the lih its very touch stings her, and, rousing herself with bitter self-conteorously at her painting for about an hour, then, groearied, she flings her brushes aside, and goes to the -room, where she knows she will find all the others assembled