erfully busy on the other side the screen, but
presently Rose said, "This is imprudent; you must go down to the foot of
the stairs and wait till I call you."

Jacintha pleaded hard against this arrangement, and represented that
there was no earthly chance of any one coming to that part of the
chateau.

"No matter; I will be guarded on every side."

"Mustn't I stop and just see her happy for once?"

"No, my poor Jacintha, you must hear it from my lips."

Jacintha retired to keep watch as she was bid. Rose went to Josephine's
room, and threw her arms round her neck and kissed her vehemently.
Josephine returned her embrace, then held her out at arm's length and
looked at her.

"Your eyes are red, yet your little face is full of joy. There, you
smile."

"I can't help that; I am so happy."

"I am glad of it. Are you coming to bed?"

"Not yet. I invite you to take a little walk with me first. Come!"
and she led the way slowly, looking back with infinite archness and
tenderness.

"You almost frighten me," said Josephine; "it is not like you to be all
joy when I am sad. Three whole weeks more!"

"That is it. Why are you sad? because the doctor would not let you go to
Frejus. And why am I not sad? because I had already thought of a way to
let you see Edouard without going so far."

"Rose! O Rose! O Rose!"

"This way--come!" and she smiled and beckoned with her finger, while
Josephine followed like one under a spell, her bosom heaving, her eye
glancing on every side, hoping some strange joy, yet scarce daring to
hope.

Rose drew back the screen, and there was a sweet little berceau that had
once been Josephine's own, and in it, sunk deep in snow-white lawn, was
a sleeping child, that lay there looking as a rose might look could it
fall upon new-fallen snow.

At sight of it Josephine uttered a little cry, not loud but deep--ay, a
cry to bring tears into the eye of the hearer, and she stood trembling
from head to foot, her hands clasped, and her eye fascinated and fixed
on the cradle.

"My child under this roof! What have you done?" but her eye, fascinated
and fixed, never left the cradle.

"I saw you languishing, dying, for want of him."

"Oh, if anybody should come?" But her eye never stirred an inch from the
cradle.

"No, no, no! the door is locked. Jacintha watches below; there is no
dan--Ah, oh, poor sister!"

For, as Rose was speaking, the young mother sprang silently upon her
child. You would hav