d at their strange
expressions.

All night long Mme. Fauvel suffered the most intolerable agony. She
counted each stroke of the town-clock, as the hours dragged on.

"In six hours," she said to herself, "in five hours--in four hours--in
three hours--in one hour--all will be discovered; and then what will
happen? Heaven help me!"

At sunrise she heard the servants moving about the house. Then the
office-shutters opened; then, later, she heard the clerks going into the
bank.

She attempted to get up, but felt so ill and weak that she sank back
on her pillow; and lying there, trembling like a leaf, bathed in cold
perspiration, she awaited the discovery of the robbery.

She was leaning over the side of the bed, straining her ear to catch a
sound from the cash-room, when Madeleine, who had just left her, rushed
into the room.

The white face and wild eyes of the poor girl told Mme. Fauvel that the
crime was discovered.

"Do you know what has happened, aunt?" cried Madeleine, in a shrill,
horrified tone. "Prosper is accused of robbery, and the police have come
to take him to prison!"

A groan was Mme. Fauvel's only answer.

"Raoul or the marquis is at the bottom of this," continued Madeleine
excitedly.

"How can they be concerned in it, my child?"

"I can't tell yet; but I only know that Prosper is innocent. I have just
seen him, spoken to him. He would never have looked me in the face had
he been guilty."

Mme. Fauvel opened her lips to confess all: fear kept her silent.

"What can these wretches want?" said Madeleine: "what new sacrifice do
they demand? Dishonor Prosper! Good heavens! Why did they not kill him
at once? He would rather be dead than disgraced!"

Here the entrance of M. Fauvel interrupted Madeleine. The banker was so
angry that he could scarcely speak.

"The worthless scoundrel!" he cried; "to think of his daring to accuse
me! To insinuate that I robbed my own safe! And that Marquis de Clameran
must needs doubt my good faith in keeping my engagement to pay his
money!"

Then, without noticing the effect of his story upon the two women, he
proceeded to relate all that had occurred downstairs.

"I was afraid this extravagance would lead to something terrible," he
said in conclusion; "you know I told you last night that Prosper was
growing worse in his conduct, and that he would get into trouble."

Throughout the day Madeleine's devotion to her aunt was severely tried.

The generous girl