, he must be moved by esteem for
noble qualities possessed. The recent revelation of his grandmother's
actual attributes estranged and revolted him, until it became difficult
to treat her with even the outward semblance of reverence.

When the viscount bade farewell, M. de Bois also took his leave.

"You will write to me as soon as you reach Edinburgh?" pleaded Bertha to
her cousin.

"I will certainly write," answered Maurice; "meantime comfort yourself
with the assurance that I will not relinquish my search until Madeleine
is restored to us."

And Bertha did solace herself with that pledge, for hope was a dominant
characteristic of her buoyant temperament.

The monotonous round of blank, weary days that ensued was happily
broken, before the week closed, by the promised letter from Maurice.
Bertha, whose only exciting occupation consisted in watching for the
arrival and distribution of letters, was in possession of the precious
missive before her aunt and Count Tristan were aware of its arrival. She
tore it open, and, glancing through the contents, uttered a cry of joy
that rang through the chateau, and reached the ears even of the countess
and her son in the library. The next moment Bertha burst into the
apartment, laughing and crying, waving the letter triumphantly over her
head, and exclaiming, in a voice now stifled with sobs, now broken by
hysterical mirth,--

"She is found! she is found! Maurice has traced her! Oh, my dear, dear
Madeleine, I shall see her again!"

Her blinding tears, or her overwhelming transport, prevented her
noticing the totally different effect produced upon her two relatives by
this rapturously uttered communication. The face of the countess
expressed a haughty satisfaction that her noble family had been spared
some impending disgrace; but Count Tristan's black brows contracted; his
malignant eyes flashed fiercely; he ground his teeth with suppressed
rage as he snatched the letter out of Bertha's hand. She flung her arms
about her aunt, and laid her head lovingly upon her unsympathetic bosom,
as though she must caress some one in the exuberant outburst of her joy!
Meanwhile the count perused the letter.

"My son, let me hear what Maurice says."

Count Tristan read,--

"I hasten to send you good news, my dearest Bertha. At
Rennes I visited the Prefecture to examine the list of
passports, knowing that Madeleine must have obtained one to
travel unmolested. I foun