in which it was delivered, but not
Miss Oliver's secret. She uttered it in these words: 'I am going out
to-night, Mrs. Desberger. I am going into great society. I am going to
attend Miss Althorpe's wedding.' Then, as the good woman stammered out
some words of surprise and pleasure, she went on to say: 'I do not want
any one to know it, and I would be so glad if I could slip out of the
house without any one seeing me. I shall need a carriage, but you will
get one for me, will you not, and let me know the moment it comes. I am
shy of what folks say, and besides, as you know, I am neither happy nor
well, if I do go to weddings, and have new dresses, and----' She nearly
broke down but collected herself with wonderful promptitude, and with a
coaxing look that made her almost ghastly, so much it seemed out of
accord with her strained and unnatural manner, she raised a corner of
the sheet, saying, 'I will show you my gown, if you will promise to help
me quietly out of the house,' which, of course, produced the desired
effect upon Mrs. Desberger, that woman's greatest weakness being her
love of dress.

"So from that hour I knew what to expect, and after sending
precautionary advices to Police Headquarters, I set myself to watch her
prepare for the evening. I saw her arrange her hair and put on her
elegant gown, and was as much startled by the result as if I had not had
the least premonition that she only needed rich clothes to look both
beautiful and distinguished. The square parcel she had once hidden under
her pillow was brought out and laid on the bed, and when Mrs.
Desberger's low knock announced the arrival of the carriage, she caught
it up and hid it under the cloak she hastily threw about her. Mrs.
Desberger came in and put out the light, but before the room sank into
darkness I caught one glimpse of Miss Oliver's face. Its expression was
terrible beyond anything I had ever seen on any human countenance."

XL.

AS THE CLOCK STRUCK.

I do not attend weddings in general, but great as my suspense was in
reference to Miss Oliver, I felt that I could not miss seeing Miss
Althorpe married.

I had ordered a new dress for the occasion, and was in the best of
spirits as I rode to the church in which the ceremony was to be
performed. The excitement of a great social occasion was for once not
disagreeable to me, nor did I mind the crowd, though it pushed me about
rather uncomfortably till an usher came to my assistan