h curled
naturally, was, however, growing thin; a few deep lines were furrowed on
his brow, and the corners of his mouth wore, as it were, unconsciously,
at times, a disdainful air, and as he slept I could trace how the fire
of youthful passion had brought his manhood to premature decay.

'Although the veil of mystery had been rent, my curiosity was only
whetted, by no means gratified. Who could this man be for whose arrival,
according to my hostess' account, he had been waiting with such feverish
impatience? What journey could he have returned from, in such shattered
health; and finally, what was this great purpose, on the successful
issue of which, he seemed to stake his all, on which he declared his
life to hang?

'Again the undefinable spell that seemed to attach to the fascinating
Adele, filled my mind with reveries of wondrous interest. What was her
part in this drama that was enacting so close beside me? Was she the
victim or the enchantress? During the long vigils of that night, I asked
this question of myself many a time and oft, and yet could arrive at no
solution of my doubts. The soft, regular sound, produced by her
breathing, in the next room, the door of which remained ajar--for she
had thrown herself upon my bed, without removing her apparel--fell upon
my ear, and proved she slept in all the tranquillity of innocence. And
yet the very tranquillity of that sleep almost excited my displeasure;
for it seemed to evince a listless, reckless indifference to danger, a
lack of tender, womanly sympathy for suffering and sickness, that might
indeed arise from a heart untouched by any love, save that of self.

'I was just rolling up another cigarette, when, as the day dawned, Adele
entered. She was lovely, and radiant with smiles. The closest and most
sagacious observer would have failed to discern the slightest trace of
the excitement through which she had passed but a few short hours
before. She thanked me for my kind assistance, with a bewitching grace,
almost girlish in its simplicity, and begged me to retire, and take the
rest she felt assured I must need. Before so doing, however, it was
agreed that the door leading to my room should in future remain
unfastened, in case of a recurrence of the danger that had menaced her
the previous night.

'Feeling no drowsiness, but rather a desire for fresh air, I mounted to
the cupola that adorned the roof of our house, and for a couple of
hours I sat there, enjoying t