in urging flight. Lucie
let her have her way without moving a finger.

In ten minutes all was ready; the carriage rolled away from the house,
and Nelida dragged herself to the window and stood gazing after them.

The young Greek leaned out of the carriage, and nodded a last farewell.

"_Bon voyage!_" said the solitary woman, carelessly returning the
salutation. "So this episode is played out, too! Poor creature--totally
without _elan_ in good or bad. And yet I pity her. To have been the
wife of this man, and now to have sunk so low as to have to be glad
when an insignificant young-- And I?--what is the end of it all? To
grow old and ugly--always older and uglier--the last spark dies out,
and finally the heart is buried beneath the ashes of its own passions.
A hell on earth! I would give the rest of my life to be, just for a
single year, as beautiful as this Julie--to be so loved, and by _this
man!_"

CHAPTER XIII.

Holding the delicate little figure clasped close to her breast, Julie
had hurriedly carried the child down the stairs. She felt as if she
were in an intoxication of indignation, contempt, defiance, and
triumph; her lips, which touched the child's locks, trembled, and her
heart beat so that she could hardly draw her breath. It was not until
she had reached the lower hall, and saw the eyes of the hotel people
fixed upon her, that she recovered her composure again, and letting
little Frances slide down on her feet she fastened on her hat and cloak
for her. The child had not spoken a word thus far. But now, when she
saw the traveling carriage standing packed and ready before the door,
she clung tight to Julie again, begging in a low voice that they should
hurry away. She seemed to fear that they would stop her even now, and
drive off with her in the carriage. Julie quieted her, ordered a drosky
to be called, and told the driver to drive home.

They sat nestled close up to one another, and were silent. Once only
the child turned to her protectress and asked:

"Will she travel off without me now?"

"Don't think any more about it," Julie answered, kissing her on the
forehead. "You are with me now. Are you happy?"

The child nodded and stroked Julie's hand. But one could see from her
eyes that her thoughts were still busy with what had passed.

When they reached home Julie found a note, which Fridolin had brought,
containing a few lines from Jansen, written in pencil. H