ill a minute. Upstairs and down, upstairs and down,
till we're most wild. And so white as she is and so trembling! Why her
hands shake so all the time she never dares lift a dish off the table.
And then the way she hangs about Mr. Blake's door when he's at home!
She never goes in, that's the oddest part of it, but walks up and down
before it, wringing her hands and talking to herself just like a mad
woman. Why, I have seen her almost put her hand on the knob twice in
an afternoon perhaps, then draw back as if she was afraid it would burn
her; and if by any chance the door opened and Mr. Blake came out, you
ought to have seen how she run. What it all means I don't know, but I
have my imaginings, and if she is'nt crazy, why--" etc., etc.

In face of facts like these I felt it would be pure insanity to despair.
Let there be but a mystery, though it involved a man of the position of
Mr. Blake and I was safe. My only apprehension had been that the whole
affair would dissolve itself into an ordinary elopement or some such
common-place matter.

Where, therefore, a few minutes later, Fanny announced that Mr. Blake
had ordered a carriage to take him to the Charity Ball that evening,
I determined to follow him and learn if possible what change had
taken place in himself or his circumstances, to lead him into such an
innovation upon his usual habits. Though the hour was late I had but
little difficulty in carrying out my plan, arriving at the Academy
something less than an hour after the opening dance.

The crowd was great and I circulated the floor three times before I came
upon him. When I did, I own I was slightly disappointed; for instead of
finding him as I anticipated, the centre of an admiring circle of ladies
and gentlemen, I espied him withdrawn into a corner with a bland old
politician of the Fifteenth Ward, discussing, as I presently overheard,
the merits and demerits of a certain Smith who at that time was making
some disturbance in the party.

"If that is all he has come for," thought I, "I had better have stayed
at home and made love to the pretty Fanny." And somewhat chagrined, I
took up my stand near by, and began scrutinizing the ladies.

Suddenly I felt my heart stand still, the noise of voices ceasing
the same instant behind me. A lady was passing on the arm of a
foreign-looking gentleman, whom it did not require a second glance to
identify with the subject of the portrait in Mr. Blake's house. Older by
som