"O, be cool, my good fellow! I never yet heard it was an insult to
inquire after one's honest relations, and I've done nothing more, as
this lady I'm sure will admit. I can perhaps give you some information
respecting your former lover, George Wild, Miss Evalyn," he continued;
"he is good and true yet."

A scream from Annie arrested his words. She had fainted. Sheldon bore
her from the room amidst a buzz of voices, in which Sumpter's was
loudest, declaring he "did not mean to embarrass the young lady. He did
not know but what they were all acquainted with her early history."

Sheldon did not rejoin the company, and during the remainder of the
evening Sumpter disseminated an exaggerated account of Annie's low birth
and disgraceful parentage among the guests. The tale found too many
willing ears; and Annie was pronounced a vile, artful deceiver, by those
who envied her talents and beauty.

CHAPTER XII.

"Alas, the joys that fortune brings
Are trifling and decay!
And those who prize the paltry things,
More trifling still than they.
And what is friendship but a name,
A charm that lulls to sleep;
A shade that follows wealth and fame,
But leaves the wretch to weep?"

When Annie Evalyn recovered consciousness, Sheldon was bending over her,
bathing her temples with cologne. As the memory of the recent scene
rushed over her, her cheeks flushed, and she glanced timidly in his
face. It was cold--stern, she fancied.

"Annie," said he, in a measured tone, "you are better now. I will leave
you for to-night, and to-morrow shall hope for an explanation of what, I
must confess, seems strange and mysterious to me at present.
Good-night!" and he turned to leave the room.

"Good-night!" she faintly articulated, her eyes following his retreating
figure till the door closed and excluded him from view. "Yes, and a long
good-night too, Frank Sheldon!" she continued, when she was alone; "if
you can thus coldly turn from me,--thus lightly suspect me of artifice
and deceit. O, my God, what a blow! and to fall at such a moment, when I
believed myself almost at the pinnacle of happiness! Surely, the
arch-fiend directed the hand. Such words to be spoken in a fashionable
circle; and they'll all accredit it, for they have,--Heaven knows
why!--long been seeking something