eplied Orion. Then turning to the physician, he added: "I
would request you, worthy Esculapius, to leave me and my cousin together
for a few minutes. I want to give her a word of counsel which will
certainly be to her advantage."

Philippus glanced enquiringly at the girl; she said with clear decision:
"You and I can have no secrets. What I may hear, Philippus too may
know."

Orion, with a shrug, turned to leave the room:

On the threshold he paused, exclaiming with some excitement and genuine
distress:

"If you will not listen to me for your own sake, do so at least,
whatever ill-feeling you may bear me, because I implore you not to
refuse me this favor. It is a matter of life or death to one human
being, of joy or misery to another. Do not refuse me.--I ask nothing
unreasonable, Philippus. Do as I entreat you and leave us for a moment
alone."

Again the physician's eyes consulted the young girl's; this time she
said: "Go!" and he immediately quitted the room.

Orion closed the door.

"What have I done, Paula," he began with panting breath, "that since
yesterday you have shunned me like a leper--that you are doing your
utmost to bring me to ruin?"

"I mean to plead for the life of a trusty servant; nothing more," she
said indifferently.

"At the risk of disgracing me!" he retorted bitterly.

"At that risk, no doubt, if you are indeed so base as to throw your own
guilt on the shoulders of an honest man."

"Then you watched me last night?"

"The merest chance led me to see you come out of the tablinum...."

"I do not ask you now what took you there so late," he interrupted, "for
it revolts me to think anything of you but the best, the highest.--But
you? What have you experienced at my hands but friendship--nay, for
concealment or dissimulation is here folly--but what a lover...?"

"A lover!" cried Paula indignantly. "A lover? Dare you utter the word,
when you have offered your heart and hand to another--you...."

"Who told you so?" asked Orion gloomily.

"Your own mother."

"That is it; so that is it?" cried the young man, clasping his hands
convulsively. "Now I begin to see, now I understand. But stay. For if
it is indeed that which has roused you to hate me and persecute me, you
must love me, Paula--you do love me, and then, noblest and sweetest...."
He held out his hand; but she struck it aside, exclaiming in a tremulous
voice:

"Be under no delusion. I am not one of the feeble lambs whom you h