NICETTE,

“FEh?" cried Anatole, his breath nearly taken away.

‘“Since | love you, cousin ! "

At that moment Anatole felt his heart beat violently. Was it from pleasurce at the unexpected avowal made by Nicette, or was it the agony, the death symptom pre- dicted by the doctor ?

“ Unfortunate that I am!" he cried. “She loves me—I am within reach of happiness, and am to die without attain- ing it 1"

Then, taking the hands of Nicette fever- ishly within his own, he told her all about the letter, the venomous flower he had scented, the prognostication of his old friend, the will he had written, and the steps he had successfully taken to releasc her from the claim of Cap- denac.

“And now,” he said, in con- clusion, ** T have only to oo home and dic "

“DBuat it is 1m-

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possible IV cried Nicette. “This doctor must have mistaken ; who is he ? "

“ A man who 1s never in error, Nicette— Dr. Bardais.”

“ Bardais! Bardais!" cried Bouvard, bursting into laughter. “ Listen to what my newspaper here says: ‘The learned Dr. Bardais has been suddenly seized with mental alienation. The madness with which he has been stricken 1s of a scientific character. It 1s well known that he was absorbingly engaged 1n an inquiry into the nature of venomous substances, and latterly he had fallen mto the delusion that every- body he met was under the influence of poison, and endeavoured to persuade them that such was their condition. He was last night trans- ported to the Maison de Santd of Dr. Blank.””

“ Nicette | "

‘“ Anatole !

The two young persons tcll into cach other's arms.