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632 1017 NTRANT

or he would have been more carcful - swuny the Vicomte round against the sercen. Tt tottered, reeled, and, raising a cloud of dust,

it fell with a bang to the floor!

It was a leaf out of Sheridan.

IFor an mstant the several members of that httle party did not distinetly realize what 1t was that had happened. "T'hen they saw. There was a pause -a curious pausce. Their atutudes betrayed a charming diversity of cmotions. The Vicomte, his coat a little disarranged, owing to the somewhat rough handling which he had just reccived, stood and glared. M. Berngny, more ramroddy than cver, stared. Mr. Warren gasped. Mo, lovell s quickened breath: ing, crinsoncd cheeks, and flash- e eves scemed to suggest that his Dhreast was a tumult of con- flicting feelings.

whose

ey, had bheen so unexpectedly re-

e preschnee

vealed, stood behind the

fallen sercen, with the most charmang an of mnocence m the world, and she smiled,

It was she who broke the silence. She held out her hand to the Vicomte.

“ Lo jour, Philippe 7

“Ah-h-h P70 The Vicomte drew himsclf

TREVEALLD,

I AGAALINT,

away with a sort of shuddermg exclamation.

“Antomette! Itis you ! It cannot be ! “ My dear Philippe why not 2 “Why not? She asks why not ! The

Vicomte held out his hands; as though he appealed to the cternal verities. * Zraitresse! Onee more 1s woman false and man betrayed !

The Vicomte's gesture was worthy of the tragic stage 1 France. The lady sull held out her hand, and still she smiled.

“ My dear Philippe -try comedy !

Comedy? Ah, yes, T will try comedy — the comedy of rorrevenge ' The Vicomte distinetly rolled his v’s. He turned to Mo Lovell =1 will kil you, even though for

killing vou, by the law ol LFngland, 1 am Victor, where s my hat 2”7

hanged.

The Vicomte put this question to his fricnd with a peculiar coldness. M. Berigny shrugged his shoulders.

“How should T know? Itisnot a question ol a hat.”

“As you sayy 1ts not a question of a hat. [t 15 a question ” the Vicomte moved to- wards Mr. Lovell of that !

He raised his hand with the intention of

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