which they had fixed upon the previous evening.

But, happening to look up at the windows of Clameran, she saw lights
hurrying to and fro in an unusual manner, even in rooms that she knew to
be unoccupied.

A presentiment of impending misfortune chilled her blood, and stopped
the beatings of her heart.

A secret and imperious voice within told her that something
extraordinary was going on at the chateau of Clameran.

What was it? She could not imagine; but she knew, she felt, that some
dreadful misfortune had happened.

With her eyes fastened upon the dark mass of stone looming in the
distance, she watched the going and coming of the lights, as if their
movements would give her a clew to what was taking place within those
walls.

She raised her window, and tried to listen, fancying she could hear an
unusual sound, even at such a distance. Alas! she heard nothing but the
rushing roar of the angry river.

Her anxiety grew more insufferable every moment; and she felt as if she
would faint were this torturing suspense to last much longer, when the
well-known, beloved signal appeared suddenly in Gaston's window, and
told her that her lover was about to swim across the Rhone.

She could scarcely believe her eyes; she must be under the influence of
a dream; her amazement prevented her answering the signal, until it had
been repeated three times.

Then, more dead than alive, with trembling limbs she hastened along the
park to the river-bank.

Never had she seen the Rhone so furious. Since Gaston was risking his
life in order to see her, she could no longer doubt that something
fearful had occurred at Clameran.

She fell on her knees, and with clasped hands, and her wild eyes fixed
upon the dark waters, besought the pitiless waves to yield up her dear
Gaston.

Every dark object which she could distinguish floating in the middle of
the torrent assumed the shape of a human form.

At one time, she thought she heard, above the roaring of the water, the
terrible, agonized cry of a drowning man.

She watched and prayed, but her lover came not.

Still she waited.

While the gendarmes and hussars slowly and silently returned to the
chateau of Clameran, Gaston experienced one of those miracles which
would seem incredible were they not confirmed by the most convincing
proof.

When he first plunged into the river, he rolled over five or six times,
and was then drawn toward the bottom. In a swollen river the current i