n imposing looking man, who had come up in time to
hear the last remark. "The march is playing for supper--"

"Oh, mother--what is it?" cried the girl, suddenly directing attention
to Mrs. Carleton's face, which was colorless, almost ghastly, while her
eyes seemed gazing afar off into space.

"Allow me," said Dr. Mason, with concern, advancing quickly, and amid
the excited gathering of the little circle about him, he gently bore her
to one of the large windows, as the Senator in visible alarm threw up
the sash.

"To my room," she murmured, as she revived a little, and thither they
conducted her as quietly as possible.

At the door the startled young girl turned and impulsively clasping the
doctor's hand, exclaimed:

"Oh, Dr. Mason--what is the matter? I never saw my mother like this--is
she going to be ill?"

He tried to reassure her, though the touch of her soft, clinging fingers
set his blood dancing like wild fire in his veins.

That night old Ailsie knelt beside her mistress and soothed her with the
crooning tones of her childhood days.

"Don't you fret, Missie; he doan know nuffin' 'bout it now. An' if he
do he ain' gwine ter tell nobody."

That night, too, Egbert Mason, in dreams climbed a mountain height to
reach an eagle's nest. As he grasped the last wavering support a figure
glittering with stars dropped from the nest, suspended by a tattered
flag. Down, down it fell. Frantically he clutched at the frail colors.
They lengthened more, and more, till the starry, shimmering form was
swaying above a yawning abyss. Could he save her? Her--his young love
with the appealing eyes? With one mighty effort he nerved himself for
the desperate descent, when lo! from yon black depth appears the
vindictive face of Isabella Drury. Older, careworn, faded--but still
Isabella, and wearing the head of a Medusa.

* * * * *

"You shall never marry that girl, Egbert Mason! I have sworn it! If you
attempt it I will kill one or both of you!" and the face of the speaker
was like a mad woman. "Oh, I know all you would say," she went on,
striding about the rooms she had entered by strategy. "But she shall not
have you if I can not. Pshaw! What fools men are! Do you know who and
what she is? Where is your boasted pride, that shrank from a thing like
me! Let me tell you, then, you scornful, high mightiness! Eleanor Carleton
is----" and she hissed the hateful word in his ears.

"Woman! You lie!"