diation and horror; she
flashed one withering, horrified look into his face, then, with a moan
of anguish, she swayed like a reed broken by the tempest, and would
have fallen to the floor in her spotless robes had not Gerald Goddard
caught her senseless form in his arms, and, lifting her by main
strength, he bore her from the room and upstairs to her own chamber.

CHAPTER XIV.

"YOUR FAITHLESSNESS TURNED ME INTO A DEMON."

Emil Correlli followed Mr. Goddard and his unconscious burden, looking
like anything but a happy bridegroom.

He had expected that Edith would weep and rave upon discovering the
trap into which she had been lured; but he had not expected that the
revelation would smite her with such terrible force, laying her like
one dead at his feet, as it had done, and he was thoroughly alarmed.

When Mr. Goddard reached the girl's room he laid her upon her bed, and
then sent one of the servants for the housekeeper. But Mrs. Weld could
not be found, so another maid was called, and Edith was gradually
restored to consciousness.

But the moment her glance fell upon Emil Correlli, who insisted upon
remaining in the room, and she realized what had occurred, she
relapsed into another swoon, so deathlike and prolonged that a
physician, who happened to be among the guests, was summoned from the
ball-room to attend her.

He excluded every one but the maids from the room, when he ordered his
patient to be undressed and put into bed, and after long and
unwearied efforts, she was again revived, when she became so unnerved
and hysterical that the physician, becoming alarmed, was about to give
her a powerful opiate, when she sank into a third fainting fit.

Meanwhile, in the ball-room below, gayety was at its height. There had
been a little stir and commotion when it was learned that Edith had
fainted; but the matter was passed over with a few well-bred comments
of regret, and then forgotten for the time. But as soon as she could
do so without being observed, madam stole from the place and went into
the house to ascertain how the girl was.

She was, of course, aware of the cause of the swoon, and, as may be
readily imagined, was in no comfortable frame of mind. She was met at
the head of the second flight of stairs by her husband, whose face was
grave and stern.

"How is she?" madam inquired.

"In a very critical condition; Dr. Arthur says she is liable to have
brain fever," he tersely replied.

"Brain f