l from being called on to tell it his way. She laughed
at Josephine's absurdity, but excused it on account of her feeble
health. In short, she threw more and more dust in all their eyes.

But by the time when the rising sun came faintly in and lighted the
haggard party, where the deceived were happy, the deceivers wretched,
the supernatural strength this young girl had shown was almost
exhausted. She felt an hysterical impulse to scream and weep: each
minute it became more and more ungovernable. Then came an unexpected
turn. Raynal after a long and tiring talk with his mother, as he called
her, looked at his watch, and in a characteristic way coolly announced
his immediate departure, this being the first hint he had given them
that he was not come back for good.

The baroness was thunderstruck.

Rose and Josephine pressed one another's hands, and had much ado not to
utter a loud cry of joy.

Raynal explained that he was the bearer of despatches. "I must be off:
not an hour to lose. Don't fret, mother, I shall soon be back again, if
I am not knocked on the head."

Raynal took leave of them all. When it came to Rose's turn, he drew her
aside and whispered into her ear, "Who is the man?"

She started, and seemed dumfounded.

"Tell me, or I ask my wife."

"She has promised me not to betray me: I made her swear. Spare me now,
brother; I will tell you all when you come back."

"That is a bargain: now hear ME swear: he shall marry you, or he shall
die by my hand."

He confirmed this by a tremendous oath.

Rose shuddered, but said nothing, only she thought to herself, "I am
forewarned. Never shall you know who is the father of that child."

He was no sooner gone than the baroness insisted on knowing what this
private communication between him and Rose was about.

"Oh," said Rose, "he was only telling me to keep up your courage and
Josephine's till he comes back."

This was the last lie the poor entangled wretch had to tell that
morning. The next minute the sisters, exhausted by their terrible
struggle, went feebly, with downcast eyes, along the corridor and up the
staircase to Josephine's room.

They went hand in hand. They sank down, dressed as they were, on
Josephine's bed, and clung to one another and trembled together, till
their exhausted natures sank into uneasy slumbers, from which each in
turn would wake ever and anon with a convulsive start, and clasp her
sister tighter to her breast.

Theirs was a