m."

"It can but be untrue," said Beatrice, still hesitating. "I can but go.
What of him!" she asked suddenly. "If he were living--would you take me
to him? Could you?"

She turned very pale, and her eyes stared madly at Unorna.

"If he were dead," Unorna answered, "I should not be here."

Something in her tone and look moved Beatrice's heart at last.

"I will go with you," she said. "And if I find him--and if all is well
with him--then God in Heaven repay you, for you have been braver than
the bravest I ever knew."

"Can love save a soul as well as lose it?" Unorna asked.

Then they went away together.

They were scarcely out of sight of the convent gate when another
carriage drove up. Almost before it had stopped, the door opened and
Keyork Arabian's short, heavy form emerged and descended hastily to the
pavement. He rang the bell furiously, and the old portress set the
gate ajar and looked out cautiously, fearing that the noisy peal meant
trouble or disturbance.

"The lady Beatrice Varanger--I must see her instantly!" cried the little
man in terrible excitement.

"She is gone out," the portress replied.

"Gone out? Where? Alone?"

"With a lady who was here last night--a lady with unlike eyes--"

"Where? Where? Where are they gone?" asked Keyork hardly able to find
breath.

"The lady bade the coachman drive her home--but where she lives--"

"Home? To Unorna's home? It is not true! I see it in your eyes. Witch!
Hag! Let me in! Let me in, I say! May vampires get your body and the
Three Black Angels cast lots upon your soul!"

In the storm of curses that followed, the convent door was violently
shut in his face. Within, the portress stood shaking with fear, crossing
herself again and again, and verily believing that the devil himself had
tried to force an entrance into the sacred place.

In fearful anger Keyork drew back. He hesitated one moment and then
regained his carriage.

"To Unorna's house!" he shouted, as he shut the door with a crash.

"This is my house, and he is here," Unorna said, as Beatrice passed
before her, under the deep arch of the entrance.

Then she lead the way up the broad staircase, and through the small
outer hall to the door of the great conservatory.

"You will find him there," she said. "Go on alone."

But Beatrice took her hand to draw her in.

"Must I see it all?" Unorna asked, hopelessly.

Then from among the plants and trees a great white-robed figure came
out