on, hailed a hansom in Regent street, and
in a quarter of an hour was chatting with his hostess.

"Where is Miss L'Estrange?" he asked, carelessly.

"She was waltzing with Tom a moment ago," answered Mrs. Eden. "If you
run after her so, I shall believe report. But is anything the matter,
Falkenstein? How ill you look!"

"Too much champagne," laughed Waldemar. "I've been dining with Gourmet,
and all the Falkensteins inherit the desire of obtaining that
gentlemanlike curse, the gout."

"It's not the gout, mon ami," smiled Mrs. Eden.

"Break your engagement and waltz with me," he whispered, ten minutes
after, to Valerie.

"I have none. I kept them all free for you!"

He put his arm round her and whirled her into the circle.

"Count Waldemar, you are not well. Has anything fresh occurred?" she
asked anxiously, as she felt the quick throbs of his heart, and saw the
dark circles of his eyes and the deepened lines round his haughty mouth.

"Not much, dearest. I will tell you in a moment."

She was silent, and he led her through the different rooms into Mrs.
Eden's boudoir, which he knew was generally deserted; and there, holding
her close to him, but not looking into her eyes lest his strength should
fail him, he told her that he must leave England, and asked her if he
should go alone.

She caught both his hands and kissed them passionately. "No, no; do not
leave me--take me with you, wherever it be. Oh, that I were rich for
your sake! I, who would die for you, can do nothing to help you--"

He pressed her fiercely to him. "Oh, Valerie! Heaven bless you for your
love, that renders the darkest hour of my life the brightest. But weigh
well what you do, my darling. I am utterly ruined. I cannot insure you
from privation in the future, perhaps not from absolute want; if I make
money, much must go in honor year by year to the payment of my debts, by
instalments. I shall take you from all the luxuries and the society that
you are formed for; do not sacrifice yourself blindly----"

"Sacrifice myself!" interrupted Valerie. "Oh! Waldemar, if it is no
sacrifice to _you_, let me be with you wherever it be; and if you have
cares, and toil, and sorrow, let me share them. I will write for you,
work for you, do anything for you, only let me be with you----"

He pressed his lips to hers, silent with the tumult of passion,
happiness, delirious joy, regret, remorse, that arose in him at her
words.

"My guardian angel, be it as