AT LAGLES GORG L. 301

blossom by-and-by into as fine and sweet a flower. “ Linfant de Pamour ressemble tou- jours au pere.” Nasha lay long pondering on

the sweet phase of her life whl(l was for cver passed, and letting one of her sensitive hands stray over the precious little hostaue

she had given to fortune, while her other hand and arm held 1t fast. The room was darkencd, but her eyes, accustomed to the gloom, saw that the place where her atten- dant had been sitting was vacant, and that she was alone.

By-and-by somecone fumbled at the latch of the door. LEvidently the person was a stranger, unacquainted with the old-fashioned fastcnmg; yet surely there was hight i the corridor, and they could sce the way to hift it. Was this still a part of the wearying, con- fused dream through which she had becn SO

long struggling, and which had just now scemed dispelled 2 The thought—the dread

of Ivo rushed upon her, and her delirtum threatened to return. Her arm tightened round her child, and every combative instinct within her became suddenly on the alert. He should not take this treasure from her all clse, his love, himself, his name, she deserved to lose, for she had cruelly deceived him ; but the child should not be torn from her while she lived. How softly and un- certainly he was moving now that he had got into the room. She watched him from under her halfclosed lids —watched him intently, her heart nearly standing still in the stress of her agonizing suspense. THe approached her with outstretched arms. She saw that he wore his travelling cloak, and that 1t was thrown open, .showmg his firm white throat. Oh, how dear he was to

her! What fate could be worse than losing him? Could she survive another parting?

She clasped the child and trembled ; the bitterness of death was in that moment.

His step was unsteady, and he seemed afraid of knocking something down. Perhaps the outside sunshme still da//lgd his cyces, and he could not perceive the objects in that darkened room; but presently he reached the carved bgdpost and grasped 1t with an ecager gesture ; then he began feel- ing along edge of the coverlet towmds whel she lay. hg thought she understood the action ; he fancied she was asleep. She could not speak, her throat scemed parched ; terror of the moment when he would see her and know the truth, paralyzed her. He seemed to be groping by the side of the bed —It was a strange and ugly word, but she could find no other to express his peculiar

movements ; then she felt his hand upon her, and her soul seemed to rush out to him, while a convulsive movement agitated her whole being, but no sound came from her parted hips, though she strove to speak his name. Then he stooped, and she felt his lips on hers in such a kiss as they had known but once before,

“Nasha!”

His voice was full of love, and of a new tenderness. She looked into his face, and saw that he was gazing fixedly at her, but there was no horror, no surprise in his eyes. she must have shown the eager astonish- ment in her, but Ivo did not appear to notice it. She could not immediately reply to his fond greeting—she could not obey the impulse to raise hu‘ unoccuplied hand and touch his dear head, for the dread lest he did not yet understand, and lest he would still repudiate her, weighed down her heart. Had Volmer lived long enough to make all right for her? He had been wild, and she had thought him hcartless, but perhaps he had loved her, and had remembered, if there had been time

“Nasha!”

Ivo was clinging to the hand which lay outside the bedclothes. He was bending over her until she could feel his heart beat, and she found him scarching for her face as though his eyes were in his fingers. Ah! he loved her still. Volmer’s spell was yet upon him, but now he would love the child, and 1f the child outlived the spell she would form a new and powerful link between them that would make all further spell needless.

“Do you sce the child?” she asked, following out her thoughts; “she is so beautiful 1”

“ How could it be otherwise, Nasha, when her mother is so beautiful ?”

She grew paler than ever against the white pillows.

“ But you must look at her. Sece, Ivo!”

He felt for the baby’s face as he had felt for hers.

“Is she not beautiful ?” asked Nasha

“You tell me so, love !”

Something in the intonation of his voice, or 1 his manner, struck a chill into her. She looked kcully at him, forgetting every- thing in the world beside hlm She strug- ('kd into a sitting posture, letting tha child slip fiom her arm, and stu,tchul out her strong, supple white hands—those hands he had 50 justly admired in the early days of their love— to draw him to her. She sought to scrutinize his face, but he lowered his head from her

Vol. 1iv.—y7,