,--she is but young, you know,--as she sees her bait
taken and the hardly expected event fulfilled, her pent-up breath sped
forth in a sigh which sent the intruder flying, and so startled herself
that she sank back in terror on her pillow.

The breakfast-call had sounded its musical chimes through the halls.
The Ambassador and his wife had responded, so had most of the young
gentlemen and ladies, but the daughter of the house was not amongst
them, nor Miss Strange, whom one would naturally expect to see down
first of all.

These two absences puzzled Mr. Driscoll. What might they not portend?
But his suspense, at least in one regard, was short. Before his guests
were well seated, Miss Driscoll entered from the terrace in company with
Captain Holliday. In her arms she carried a huge bunch of roses and
was looking very beautiful. Her father's heart warmed at the sight. No
shadow from the night rested upon her.

But Miss Strange!--where was she? He could not feel quite easy till he
knew.

"Have any of you seen Miss Strange?" he asked, as they sat down at
table. And his eyes sought the Inseparables.

Five lovely heads were shaken, some carelessly, some wonderingly, and
one, with a quick, forced smile. But he was in no mood to discriminate,
and he had beckoned one of the servants to him, when a step was heard at
the door and the delinquent slid in and took her place, in a shamefaced
manner suggestive of a cause deeper than mere tardiness. In fact, she
had what might be called a frightened air, and stared into her plate,
avoiding every eye, which was certainly not natural to her. What did
it mean? and why, as she made a poor attempt at eating, did four of the
Inseparables exchange glances of doubt and dismay and then concentrate
their looks upon his daughter? That Alicia failed to notice this,
but sat abloom above her roses now fastened in a great bunch upon her
breast, offered him some comfort, yet, for all the volubility of his
chief guests, the meal was a great trial to his patience, as well as a
poor preparation for the hour when, the noble pair gone, he stepped into
the library to find Miss Strange awaiting him with one hand behind her
back and a piteous look on her infantile features.

"O, Mr. Driscoll," she began,--and then he saw that a group of anxious
girls hovered in her rear--"my pendant! my beautiful pendant! It is
gone! Somebody reached in from the balcony and took it from my dresser
in the night. Of cours