d, white lips. Olive stood and looked for several
moments, with the sobs swelling in her throat; then she knelt down
beside the bed, and hid her face in the coverings, and no one disturbed
her; but with Ernestine's first move she drew back, and out of sight
across the room, which was needless, for the sleeper only turned her
head, and then sank into that death-like stillness again.

"Has she been ill long?" asked Olive of the single woman who still
remained in the room. "Do you know anything about her?"

"Oh, yes, miss. I am Madame T----, the prima donna's maid, and I helped
dress Miss Clare to-night," answered the quiet-faced woman, who was
nearly dead with curiosity, but stood in some awe of the tall, strange
young lady. "She has not been strong any of the time since she's been
with us; but yesterday, Miss Downs took sick, and Mr. Hurst, he's the
manager, put Miss Clare in her place, and she's studied and sung every
minute since, to be ready for to-night; and I thought when I dressed
her, that she looked more like going into her coffin, than on the stage
in all that toggery. She needs proper good care now, or she'll be like
to die;--might you be a--friend, miss?"

"Yes; and I shall remove her from here as soon as she is able. What has
she in the way of clothes, and where are they?"

"Laws! miss, not much, I guess, only that little trunk there," answered
the woman, pointing to what might have been a good sized band-box, that
stood in the corner, and which, in other days would hardly have held
Ernestine's sashes, ribbons and trinkets, let alone the smallest corner
of her wardrobe.

"I am going," said Roger, tiptoeing carefully to Olive's side. "It is
past eleven, and the carriage will have come for us and gone back, and
Uncle Ridley will be alarmed. I shall return immediately, and is there
anything you want brought?"

"Yes," whispered Olive. "Pillows, eight or ten of them, wine, and my
blue wrapper; Jean will be asleep; Bettine will get it for you;--that is
all, I think;" and he went carefully away, to bear the startling news
out to Congreve Hall; and Olive was left to her lonely vigil, for the
troupe arrived presently from the theatre, and the maid was obliged to
attend to Madame T----. Most of the performers had rooms on the third
floor, and after a loiter down stairs, came up noisily, singing and
chatting right by the sick-room, and Olive was horrified to hear that
they stopped next door, from which place the m