the third story, poor Edith lay upon her bed, still in an
unconscious state.

All the wedding finery had been removed and carried away, and she lay
scarcely less white than the spotless _robe de nuit_ she wore, her
lips blue and pinched, her eyes sunken and closed.

A physician sat beside her, his fingers upon her pulse, his eyes
gravely fixed upon the beautiful, waxen face lying on the pillow.

Two housemaids, looking frightened and anxious, were seated near him,
watching him and the still figure on the bed, but ready to obey
whatever command he might issue to them.

After introducing his sister to Mrs. Stewart, Emil Correlli had
slipped away from the scene of gayety, which had become almost
maddening to him, and mounted to that third-story room to inquire
again regarding the condition of the girl he had so wronged.

"No better," came the answer, which made him turn with dread, and a
terrible fear to take possession of his heart.

What if Edith should never revive? What if she should die in one of
these dreadful swoons?

His guilty conscience warned him that he would have been her murderer.

He could not endure the thought, and slinking away to his own room, he
drank deeply to stupefy himself, and then went to bed.

Gerald Goddard also was strangely exercised over the fair girl's
condition, and half an hour after his interview with Mrs. Stewart he
crept forth from his room again and went to see if there had been any
change in her condition.

"Yes," Dr. Arthur told him, "she is coming out of it, and if another
does not follow, she will come around all right in time. If you could
only find that housekeeper," he added, "she must have good care
through the night."

"I will go for her again," said Mr. Goddard, and he started downstairs
upon his quest.

He met the woman on the second floor and just coming up the back
stairs.

"Ah! Mrs. Weld, I am glad to find you. We have needed you sadly," he
eagerly exclaimed.

"I am sorry," the woman replied, in a regretful tone. "I was
unavoidably engaged and came just as soon as I was at liberty. What is
this I hear?" she continued, gravely; "what is this story about the
poor child being cheated into a real marriage with madam's brother? Is
it true?"

"Hush! no one must hear such a version," said Mr. Goddard, looking
anxiously about him.

He then proceeded to explain something of the matter, for he saw that
she knew too much to keep still, unless she was told more