ce,
and he silently tightened his grip upon her arm.

"Paul!" she repeated wildly. "There is no more Paul," she added,
suddenly lowering her voice, and speaking confidentially. "Hermione can
marry my dear Alexander now. There is no more Paul. You do not know? It
was so quickly done. He stayed behind in the room, and I locked the
door, so tight, so fast. He can never get out. Ah!" she screamed all at
once, "I am so glad! Let me go--let me go"----

At that moment I came upon them. Relinquishing all hopes of saving the
house, and wondering vaguely, in my confusion of mind, why nobody had
come to help me, I called my two men off, and was going to see what had
become of the party. I found Madame Patoff a raving maniac, struggling
in the gigantic hands of the sturdy scientist. I will not dwell upon the
hideous scene which followed. It was the last time I ever saw her, and I
pray that I may never again see man or woman in such a condition.

Meanwhile, the two men who lay by the fountain in the moonlight showed
signs of life. Gregorios first came to himself, for he had only fainted.
He was in great pain, but was as eager as the rest to restore Paul to
consciousness. Patoff was almost asphyxiated by the smoke, his hair and
eyebrows and mustache were almost burnt off, and his right hand was
injured. But he was alive, and at last he opened his eyes. In a quarter
of an hour he could be helped upon his feet. Balsamides was already
standing, and Paul caught at his hand.

"Not that arm," said Gregorios calmly, holding out the other. In his
fall he had broken his wrist.

In answer to my cries, the two Carvels left the injured men and came to
our assistance, while we struggled with the mad woman, who seemed
possessed of the strength of a dozen athletes. Hermione was left by the
fountain.

"I was quite sure it would be all right," said Alexander to her,
presently. It was more than the young girl could bear. She turned upon
him fiercely, and her beautiful face was very white.

"I despise you!" she exclaimed. That was all she said, but in the next
moment she turned and threw her arms about Paul's neck, and kissed his
burnt and wounded face before them all.

* * * * *

There is little more to be said, for my story is told to the end. When I
found them all together, Gregorios took me aside and drew a crumpled
mass of papers from his pocket with his uninjured hand.

"I stayed behind to save your pape