ing away.

At this moment the shrouded form of the lady glided forward into the
light. She was advancing to catch a farewell glance of her lover. A
few steps brought her to the edge of the wharf-boat, where the torch was
glaring. Her hood-like gun-bonnet was thrown back. The light fell full
upon her face, glistened along the undulating masses of black hair that
shrouded her temples, and danced in her glorious eyes. Good God! they
were the eyes of _Aurore_!

No wonder I uttered the wild ejaculation--

"It is she!"

"What?--a female! overboard, do you say? Where? Where?"

The man was evidently in earnest. My soliloquy had been loud enough to
reach his ears.

He believed it to be a reply to his previous question, and my excited
manner confirmed him in the belief that a woman had actually fallen into
the river!

His questions and exclamations were overheard and repeated in the voices
of others who stood near. Like wildfire an alarm ran through the boat.
Passengers rushed from the cabins, along the guards, and out to the
front awning, and mingled their hurried interrogatories, "Who? What?
Where?" A loud voice cried out--

"Some one overboard! A woman! it's a woman!"

Knowing the cause of this ridiculous alarm, I gave no heed to it. My
mind was occupied with a far different matter. The first shock of a
hideous passion absorbed my whole soul, and I paid no attention to what
was going on around me.

I had scarce recognised the face, when the boat rounding up-stream
brought the angle of the cabin between it and me. I rushed forward, as
far as the gangway. I was too late:--the wheel-house obstructed the
view. I did not halt, but ran on, directing myself towards the top of
the wheel-house. Passengers in their excitement were rushing along the
guards. They hindered my progress, and it was some time before I could
climb up the wheel-house, and stand upon its rounded roof. I did so at
length, but too late. The boat had forged several hundred yards into
the stream. I could see the wharf-boat with its glaring lights. I
could even see human forms standing along its deck, but I could no
longer distinguish that one that my eyes were in search of.

Disappointed I stepped on to the hurricane-deck, which was almost a
continuation of the roof of the wheel-house. There I could be alone,
and commune with my now bitter thoughts.

I was not to have that luxury just then. Shouts, the trampling of heavy
boot