ery day she looked eagerly for a letter which would
relieve her anxiety, but in vain. No news came, and she was forced to be
content with such rumors as Mr. Reed could collect for her in the city.

On the twenty-second of October that good man did not return until
unusually late in the evening. Antoinette was awaiting him, her heart
oppressed by the gloomiest forebodings. When he entered the room she saw
that he was greatly agitated.

"You have heard bad news!" she exclaimed, wildly.

Mr. Reed did not attempt to deny it. He told Antoinette that the
unfortunate queen of France had been put to death on the sixteenth, just
six days before.

"They have killed her!" exclaimed the horrified girl.

She shuddered to think of Philip's probable fate. Since the queen was
dead, the conspiracy which Philip had organized must have failed; and if
it had failed, the conspirators had undoubtedly been discovered and
arrested! This thought brought a deathlike pallor to her cheeks. Her
friends saw her totter; they sprang forward to support her and she sank
into their arms wild with anguish and despair.

"Tell me all!" she entreated.

"Alas! I know so little," responded kind-hearted Mr. Reed. "The queen
was sentenced on the sixteenth and beheaded the same day. Several
persons are now in prison, charged with a conspiracy to rescue her and
place her son upon the throne. I could learn nothing further."

"That is enough!" she cried. "Philip is in prison!"

She was silent a moment; then suddenly she said, in a firm voice:

"I must start at once."

The husband and wife uttered an exclamation of dismay.

"Start, and why?" demanded Mr. Reed.

"To join Philip."

"But it is walking straight into the jaws of death!" said Mrs. Reed.

Antoinette only repeated even more firmly than before:

"I must go at once!"

Then she broke into a passion of sobbing. Mrs. Reed took her in her
arms, dried her tears, and tried to reassure her, lavishing every
endearment upon the unhappy girl.

"My dear child," said she, "your lover confided you to our care; we
cannot let you go. Besides, how do you know that your betrothed has not
escaped the dangers you fear for him? He is young, strong and clever.
Perhaps at this very moment he is on his way back to you."

Antoinette made no reply; but she shook her head despondently, as if to
give Mrs. Reed to understand that she had no hope. Still, she did not
rebel against her guardian's decision. Mrs. Reed c