es. They were now accustomed to Miss Ruff's voice, and
thought nothing of her exclamations. "Well, I declare--what, the ten
of spades!--ha! ha! ha! well, it is an excellent joke--if you could
have obliged me, Lady Ruth, by returning my lead of trumps, we
should have been out," &c., &c., &c. All this and more attracted no
attention, and the general pity for Lady Ruth had become dead and
passive.

But at last Miss Ruff's tongue went faster and faster, and her words
became sharper and sharper. Lady Ruth's countenance became very
strange to look at. She bobbed her head about slowly in a manner
that frightened Mr. Fuzzybell, and ceased to make any remark to her
partner. Then Mrs. Garded made two direct appeals to Miss Ruff for
mercy.

But Miss Ruff could not be merciful. Perhaps on each occasion she
refrained for a moment, but it was only for a moment; and Mrs. Garded
and Mr. Fuzzybell ceased to think of their cards, and looked only at
the Lady Ruth; and then of a sudden they both rose from their seats,
the colonel, as we have said, rushed across the room, and all the
players at all the tables put down their cards and stood up in alarm.

Lady Ruth was sitting perfectly still, except that she still bobbed
her old head up and down in a strange unearthly manner. She had about
ten cards in her hand which she held motionless. Her eyes seemed
to be fixed in one continued stare directly on the face of her foe.
Her lower jaw had fallen so as to give a monstrous extension to her
cadaverous face. There she sat apparently speechless; but still she
bobbed her head, and still she held her cards.

It was known at Littlebath that she had suffered from paralysis, and
Mrs. Garded and Mr. Fuzzybell thinking that she was having or about
to have a fit, naturally rushed to her assistance.

"What is the matter with her?" said Miss Ruff. "Is anything the
matter with her?"

Miss Todd was now at the old lady's side. "Lady Ruth," said she, "do
you find yourself not well? Shall we go into my room? Sir Lionel,
will you help her ladyship?" And between them they raised Lady Ruth
from her chair. But she still clutched the cards, still fixed her
eyes on Miss Ruff, and still bobbed her head.

"Do you feel yourself ill, Lady Ruth?" said Miss Todd. But her
ladyship answered nothing.

It seemed, however, that her ladyship could walk, for with her two
supporters she made her way nearly to the door of the room. There
she stood, and having succeeded in