, which was indicative of
her character. She seemed too fair and fragile to buffet with the
storms of life, and ill fitted to endure its troubles, created to be
the idol of a drawing room, the fairy queen of a boudoir.

Eugene was a handsome, manly fellow, of great energy and character.
The revolution surprised him in the act of making a fortune; the
whirlwind had stripped him of most of his property, but had yet left
him liberty and life. He had contrived to avoid rendering himself
obnoxious to the sansculottes without securing their confidence. The
tri-colored cockade which he wore in his hat shielded him from the
fatal epithet of aristocrat--a certain passport to the guillotine.

Beauvallon then seated himself beside Eulalie, who was struck with the
radiant expression of his countenance, and begged to know the reason
of his joyous excitement.

"I have good news to tell you," he said, gayly; "but we are not
alone," he added, stopping short, as his eyes rested on the sinister
face of an old woman, humbly attired, who was busily engaged in
knitting, not far from the lovers.

"O, don't mind poor old Mannette," said Eulalie. "The poor old
creature is past hearing thunder. It is a woman, Eugene, I rescued
from absolute starvation, and she is so grateful, and seems so
desirous of doing something to render herself useful, that I am
mortified almost at her sense of the obligation."

"I hope she has not supplanted your pretty _femme de chambre_, Julie,
of whom you threatened to be jealous. My admiration, I hope, has not
cost the girl her place."

"O, dear, no! I couldn't part with Julie!" replied Eulalie, laughing
gayly. "But come, you must not tantalize me--what has occurred to make
you so gay, at a time when every true Frenchman wears a face of
mourning?"

"The Marquis de Montmorenci is at liberty."

"At liberty? How happened it that the Revolutionary Tribunal acquitted
him?"

"Acquitted him! Eulalie, does the tiger that has once tasted the blood
of his prey permit him to escape? Is Robespierre more lenient than the
beast of prey? No, Eulalie, he escaped by the aid of a true friend. He
fled from Paris, reached Toulouse, and found shelter under my roof!"

The cheek of Eulalie turned ashy pale. "Under your roof!" she
faltered. "Do you know the penalty of sheltering a fugitive from
justice?"

"It is death upon the scaffold," answered the young merchant, calmly.
"But better that a thousand times than the sin of in