new you, what
is wrong? Oh, speak to us--recognize us--your own two best
friends--Helen--Helen! speak to us."

She looked upon them certainly; but it was with a dead and vacant stare
which wrung their hearts.

"Come," said she, "tell me where is William Reilly? Oh, bring me to
William Reilly; they have taken me from him, and I. know not where to
find him."

The two kind-hearted ladies looked at one another, each stupefied by the
mystery of what they witnessed.

"Oh," said Mrs. Hastings, "her father must be instantly sent for Mrs.
Brown, go to the lobby--there is an officer there--desire him to go to
Mr. Folliard and say that--but we had better not alarm him too much,"
she added, "say that Miss Folliard wishes to see him immediately."

The judge, we may observe here, had not yet pronounced sentence upon
Reilly. The old man, who, under all possible circumstances, was so
affectionately devoted and attentive to his daughter, immediately
proceeded to the room, in a state of great triumph and exultation
exclaiming, "Guilty, guilty; we have noosed him at last." He even
snapped his fingers, and danced about for a time, until rebuked by Mrs.
Hastings.

"Unhappy and miserable old man," she exclaimed, with tears, "what
have you done? Look at the condition of your only child, whom you have
murdered. She is now a maniac."

[Illustration: PAGE 176--What, what is this? What do you mean?]

"What," he exclaimed, rushing to her, "what, what is this? What do you
mean? Helen, my darling, my child--my delight--what is wrong with you?
Recollect yourself, my dearest treasure. Do you not know me, your own
father? Oh, Helen, Helen! for the love of God speak to me. Say you know
me--call me father--rouse yourself--recollect me--don't you know who I
am?"

There, however, was the frightfully vacant glance, but no reply.

"Oh," said she, in a low, calm voice, "where is William Reilly? They
have taken me from him, and I cannot find him; bring me to William
Reilly."

"Don't you know me, Helen? don't you know your loving father? Oh, speak
to me, child of my heart! speak but one word as a proof that you know
me."

She looked on him, but that look filled his heart with unutterable
anguish; he clasped her to that heart, he kissed her lips, he strove to
soothe and console her--but in vain. There was the vacant but unsettled
eye, from which the bright expression of reason was gone; but no
recognition--no spark of reflection or conscious tho