present." Mrs. Elmore
slipped out of the room, and Miss Mayhew glided gravely in, holding an
open note in her hand, and looking into Elmore's eyes with a certain
unfathomable candor, of which she had the secret.

"Here," she said, "is a letter which I think you ought to see at once,
Professor Elmore"; and she gave him the note with an air of unconcern,
which he afterward recalled without being able to determine whether it
was real indifference or only the calm resulting from the transfer of
the whole responsibility to him. She stood looking at him while he read:

MISS,

In this evening I am just arrived from Venise, 4 hours afterwards I
have had the fortune to see you and to speake with you--and to
favorite me of your gentil acquaintanceship at rail-away. I never
forgeet the moments I have seen you. Your pretty and nice figure
had attached my heard so much, that I deserted in the hopiness to
see you at Venise. And I was so lukely to speak with you cut too
short, and in the possibility to understand all. I wished to go
also in this Sonday to Venise, but I am sory that I cannot,
beaucause I must feeled now the consequences of the desertation.
Pray Miss to agree the assurance of my lov, and perhaps I will be
so lukely to receive a notice from you Miss if I can hop a little
(hapiness) sympathie. Tres humble

E. VON EHRHARDT.

Elmore was not destitute of the national sense of humor; but he read
this letter not only without amusement in its English, but with intense
bitterness and renewed alarm. It appeared to him that the willingness
of the ladies to put the affair in his hands had not strongly manifested
itself till it had quite passed their own control, and had become a most
embarrassing difficulty,--when, in fact, it was no longer a merit in
them to confide it to him. In the resentment of that moment, his
suspicions even accused his wife of desiring, from idle curiosity and
sentiment, the accidental meeting which had resulted in this fresh
aggression.

"Why did you show me this letter?" he asked harshly.

"Mrs. Elmore told me to do so," Lily answered.

"Did _you_ wish me to see it?"

"I don't suppose I _wished_ you to see it: I thought you ought to see
it."

Elmore felt himself relenting a little. "What do you want done about
it?" he asked more gently.

"Tha