Year: 1867

room, when to our surprise We saw Miss Aubusson standing at side door in earnest conversation with the shabby, dissipated- looking man whom we had seen the first day that she came, and who, Norine said was an agent for ''Mees.' There had been little won dering gossip about the connec- 1 tion of a man of so disreputable appearance with lady like Miss Aubusson; but as he had never been seen again, and she had crept into all our hearts, it died away. On this occasion, the bell had run some minutes before Carl and I left our rooms and as there happened to be no servant about, Miss Aubusson certainly had reason to suppose that she was unobserved She was standing just within the door, way, her wine-hued silk gleaming in the light of the chandelier, her head a little bent forward, her whole figure indicative of earnestness, and as we approached we heard the pathetic, soft entraaty of her voice.

 She started at the sound of our footsteps which she did not hear till we were close beside her. said few, low, rapid words to the man, and then turned to go toward the dining hall. There were two or three let ters in her hand; her eyes were wonderful ly bright, her sensitive upper lip quivered with emotion.

 We stood aside to let her precede us. With slight bow she did so, but at that moment one of the letters slipped from her hand and fell upon the floor Carl hasten to pick it up.

 Miss Aubusson!'

 She turned, saw the letter in his exten- ded hand. Instantly her face whitened. There was anger, shame, fear in it as she said, almost clutching the paper that he put into her hand

 ''Mr. Fries, did you see the superscrip- ton upon this letter?''

 But she glanced up at him es she spoke, and her countenance changed.

 T beg your pardon! I should have known that you would not look at it. D

 Carls fine face flushed.

 ''You are very good to say so," he an- swered.

 No" she was smiling now in her o-~n sweet sunshiny way ''No! l was very wicked to be so rude. Pray forgive mel This letter is connected with painful se- cret that concerns Q friend of mine"

 Her embarrassment, her emotion, were past concealment. A soft fire shone in Carrs eyes. 'Will you accept my sympathy, Miss Aubusson? Can I not be of service to you?' he said.

 "Oh, no! Thank you most kindly! But no one can help me. If any one could, I should be proud to ask it of you. But no one can do any good.

 There was an indescribable pathos in these last words, and her eyes suddenly filled with tears.

 Miss Aubusson did not come into the drawing room that evening, and after sit ting there awhile went up to our own parlor.

 Carl was there alone.

 He laid down the newspaper that he was making pretense of reading as entered.

 "Is she there?" he asked.

 ''No she drove off in the coupe half an hour ago." Carl got up and began to walk about. II am glad she is gone. Ihave been try i ing to keep myself from going to her. Once with her I shall betray everything. And I want to be master of myself (which am not tonight The pallor of intense feeling was upon his face. His blue eyes shone steely bright the fire of love burned steadily-but around the mouth the nervous, conyulsive motion betrayed his excitement. ''Carl, l am sorry for thisr' | ''For what?"

 T am sorry that you have fallen in love with girl whose antecedents we are igno- rant, whose friends, if she has any, we do not know, who may be"

 He turned upon me fercely.

 ''What?"

 ':Anything! A beggar in disguise per haps."

 He looked gratefully relieved

 "Were she twenty times beggar l would marry her"

 But, Carl, do be reasonable!'

 He gave me hurried glance, and then 1 flung himself into chair, looking as little like reasonable person as possible.

 But was patient.

 You must admit the existency of a mys- tery, Carl Why is she so reticent as to her history and connections? Where does she go four or five evenings in a week: who is this disreputable person that pre- sumes to seek her?" 1 Harsh questions, know; but I felt justi- 1 fled in putting them. Carl winced visibly; his face whitened.

 ''The mystery may involve nothing dis creditable to her, Nelly" he answered. q am sure that she has good reasons fo, whatever she does. She may have disrepu table friends, but so she were pure would pluck her out of the pit itself. And Nelly, when some carrion crow of gossip was pecking at her reputation did you not say that you would stake your life on her goodness. ''

 This style of argument was embarrassing I found refuge in iteration 'You see Carl. she has something to conceal She was both angry and frightened when you picked up her letter."

 ''The anger was for that beast, whoever he is.''

 "And the fear was lest you had discover ed something that would betray her.''

 Nelly, was it like an iratrigante to turn upon me with that sharp, curt question a: to whether had seen the superscription?

 ''That may have been piece of subtle acting. Or the alarm may have surprised her into directness. At any rate, Carl promise me that you won't marry her til you know more than of her you dt now"

 '1 will not marry her unless she assures me that she is willing to confide her his tory to me, and let me judge of it for my self.'

 'sPshaw!'

 But these were the best terms I could make

 We both retired early that night. think it was about eleven o'clock when heard the French maid trip softly dow1 stairs, and return presently accompanied by her mistress, having let her in at a pri vafa side d00r A 1ifflo %ip,o ,,o,so1 o,d