ame!--the garrison
sold!--the soldiers killed!--murdered!--"

She had turned to him swiftly, fiercely, with her last words, but
before the look of sudden shame and dread on his face, her eyes
abruptly fell as though a portion of his dishonor had inexplicably
touched her. He made no attempt to defend himself--motionless he stood
an instant--then, without a word, he moved away. At the threshold he
paused, but she did not look up--could not! A moment; an eternity!

"Why don't you go?" she cried. "Why don't you go?"

The door opened, closed; she was alone.

Pale as the dying lilies on the table, she stepped toward the
threshold, when Barnes, chipper and still indefatigable, entered by
another door. He was too inspired with festal intoxication to observe
her agitation.

"What, my dear!" he exclaimed cheerily. "Has he gone? Did you make up
your little differences? Did you settle your quarrel before he leaves
for Mexico?"

"For Mexico!" she repeated, mechanically.

"Of course. He has his commission in the army and leaves early in the
morning. But you look tired, my dear. I declare you are quite
pale"--pinching her cheek--"rest will bring back the roses, though."

Impulsively she threw her arms around his neck.

"Why, why, what's this?" he said, patting her head.

"I only care for you," she whispered. "My dear! My dear!"

CHAPTER XI

THE PASSING OF A FINE GENTLEMAN

"'Perhaps she will fail, and that will amuse me,'" ruminated Francois
on his high seat next to the coachman, repeating the marquis' words,
as they drove home after the nobleman's precipitous retreat from the
theater. "Well, he didn't look as though he had been particularly
amused. But no wonder he was startled! It even"--reviewing the
impression first made upon him at sight of the actress--"sent a shiver
through me!" Here the carriage drew up sharply before the marquis'
home, and Francois, hastily alighting, threw open the door.

"Eh? What? Are we here?" muttered the marquis, starting from the
corner where he had been reclining.

He arose with some difficulty; traversed the sidewalk and the
shell-strewn path to the house which loomed darkly before them; paused
at the foot of the stairs where he breathed heavily, complaining of
the oppressiveness of the air; and finally, with the assistance of the
valet, found himself once more in his room, the sick chamber he had
grown to detest! Here alone--having dismissed the servant as soon as
possibl