Year: 1879

"Believe me, your troubles excite my warm
est sympathy-but alas I am only a poor,
ignorant woman, and I can do nothing to
give you aid. I thought my plan such SIM
pie, straightforward one, and now you tell me
it would be of no avail"


about as simple and straightforward as
yourself" soliloquized Philipson, as he walk
ed away without much ceremony. "What
was the woman driving at, wonder? She
had some object in view, Of that am almost
sure. But she's as deep as the Internal re.
gions believe all these Frenchwomen are. "


"I've put an idea into his head that think
will come to something" was madam's un-
spoken reflection as she watched his retreat
ing form. "If he gets that money it will
be considerable benefit to me; and if he
doesn't get it in one way he may in another" J."


All day long feeling of restlessness, of
envious discomfort, gnawed at Philipsons
heart. Madame d'Estay's suggestion, ab-
surd as it had seemed, had awakened train
of thought within him which he could not
put aside. Not an altogether new one either,
in one respect 1t had long been source OF
vexation to him that Mr.. Vivian, with his
supposed wealth, should stand by and look
indiferently on at his losses, and that he
could find no way of turning this prudently
guarded wealth to his own advantage. As to
asking him to help him, he felt that it would
be of no avail, for what claim could he offer
in excuse for such liberty? But was there
no other way of getting possession, just for a
short time, of at least portion of that gold
en- treasure to which the Frenchwoman had
alluded? A purse full of gold coins! How
tempting was the picture thus presented to
his mind! How indescribably he longed to
grasp the reality! A comparatively small
sum might save him; for, with the infatua-
ton common to gamblers, he felt convinced
that by perseverance he must succeed at last,
and with few lucky throws all his losses
might be retrieved.


His evil angel-his good one, alas! had
long lost all influence over him-prcmpted
him that day to drink heavily and hard. Not
enough to intoxicate him-he was not easily
overcome by liquor-but enough to put an
amount of recklessness and devil-may care
bravado in him, that made him willing to as
sumo any risk which might result in his profit.
And the fiery stimulant working in his brain,
seemed to create new capacity for forming
brilliant, wicked schemes, and set him revolv-
ing a dozen possibilities which he had not
thought of before What if he should, masked,
meet Vivian in lonely place, and take his
purse from him by force2 He would be clev-
er enough to avoid discovery. And when he
had used the money and regained what he
had lost, he would restore it, and clear his
conscience of all stain. In circumstances as
desperate as his, a desperate expedient was
necessary. No halfway, uncertain measures
would help him. As evening came on, he
watched for Vivian, but the latter did not
make his appearance as usual. He was, in
fact, closeted with his envoy. Benedict, who
was to set off again that night, on new er-
rand of discovery and trust. Philipsons COW
etous desires would have received fresh i'm
pulse could he have seen the lavish sum placed
in the hand of this confidential messenger, as
his employer dismissed him with the injunc-
ton, Remember, Benedict, do not fail to let
me know if more should be necessary and,
above all, be sure that she wants for nothing
it would be death to me to know that she
suffered any privation."


Exhausted by exciting feelings and previ-
Gus wakefulness, Murrell Vivian, as soon as
Benedict was gone, prepared to seek repose; /;
but first he replaced, in small leather port
manteau, which stood on his dressing table,
pocket book, containing various bank-notes
as we'll as gold and silver coin, from which
he had taken the sum he had transmitted to
his messenger and having glanced through
sundry papers to assure himself that every
thing was in order, he turned the key and
removed it from the lock, slowed away the
portmanteau in a closet and then retired to
rest.


He had slept for perhaps two hours, when
he was awakened by slight noise apparent
ly not far off. The consciousness was at first
a vague one, and he lay awake for minute
or more without being able to determine
whether it was the result Of dream or not !;
but presently aSepetition Of the noise, which
was that ola cautious, stealthy movement as
of person feeling his way about in an un-
accustomed place, convinced him that it was
no fancy, but the actual truth. There was q
faint glimmer of light in his chamber, from
lamp which was kept burning in the cor
ridor without; but though he looked around
him in every direction, he could distinguish
no one. He perceived, however, that the door,
which he had locked on going to bed, was
slightly open. There was no doubt, then, OF
the presence of an intruder, and for this intru-
sion, at such an hour, but one cause could be
assigned-that of an intention against either
his money or his life, or possibly both. ST.
lently reaching out one hand, he grasped a
pistol which lay on small table close to his
head, and waited in anxious suspense for the
proper moment to make use of it. He did
not have to wait long, Presently the moving
outlines of form in one corner of the room,
where the clothes of which he had divested
himself lay upon chair, became unmistaka-
bly, visible; and it was clear to him that the
object of this midnight visit must be the r.
fling of his pockets, since that was evidently