ate was
swallowed with a pang, the wine was like a bitter drug on her lips, yet
there she sat in patient endurance.

Occasionally Mellen glanced towards her, and her composure sent such a
thrill of rage through his soul, that it was with difficulty he could
keep from springing up and overwhelming her with the discovery he had
made, on the spot.

The dinner was over at last, but tedious as it had seemed to Elizabeth,
she would gladly have prolonged it: anything to lengthen the hours; to
keep afar off the stillness of the night, when she must undertake that
to which she had doomed herself.

But she would not think of that; she dared not; madness lay so near the
dismal reflection that it must be swept from her mind.

They dragged through the evening; Elizabeth played cribbage with Mr.
Rhodes, and Elsie gave snatches of desultory music at the piano; every
time her fresh young voice rang out in joyous song Elizabeth started, as
if an unseen dagger had struck her to the heart.

"You will all come and pass a day with us before long, I hope," Mr.
Rhodes said, with exuberant hospitality, when the time came at last to
order the carriage for his departure.

Elizabeth only answered with a wan smile. She could hardly stand. Mellen
accompanied his visitor through the hall, and the instant they
disappeared Elizabeth started for the door.

"Where are you going?" asked Elsie.

"To my room; I can't bear this."

"I'll go--"

"No, no, not yet; stay awhile, for heaven's sake let me rest alone one
moment." She staggered through the dining-room and was gone; when Mellen
entered the library again, Elsie sat alone by the fire, teasing the cat,
looking cheerfully pretty and childlike.

CHAPTER LX.

WAITING FOR THE HOUR.

The clock in Elizabeth's dressing-room had struck eleven, but there she
sat desolately looking into the fire, just as she had sunk into her
chair on first entering the chamber.

She heard her husband and Elsie ascend the stairs a full hour before,
but Mr. Mellen went straight on towards his own apartments. He had not
entered hers since the day the bracelet was found; she knew well that he
would not intrude upon her then.

For two long hours she had been alone with her dismal thoughts, no sound
broke the stillness, save the monotonous ticking of the clock or an
occasional sob and moan from the half spent wind without.

There was too much anxiety and agony in her mind for any of the nervous
terrors w