zzling beauty of Rosa Blondelle would have upon
Lyon Berners.

She saw it!

After bowing, they lifted their heads and looked at each other--he, at
first, with the courtesy of a host--but she with a radiant and
enchanting smile.

Sybil was prepared to see Lyon's surprise at the first view of this
peerless creature; but she was by no means prepared to witness the
involuntary gaze of intense and breathless admiration and wonder that he
fixed for a moment on her beautiful face. That gaze said as eloquently
as words could have spoken:

"This is the most wondrous, perfect creature that the world ever saw!
This is the master-piece of nature."

With the sunlight of her smile still shining on him, Rosa held out her
hand, and said in the sweetest tones:

"Sir, I have no words good enough to tell you how deeply I feel your
kindness and that of your dear wife to me."

"Dear lady, Mrs. Berners and myself do but gratify our own tastes in
_trying_ to serve you; for it will be a great happiness to us if we
succeed in doing so," replied Lyon Berners, with a look and tone that
proved his perfect sincerity and earnestness.

As thus they smiled and glanced, and spoke to each other, Sybil also
glanced from the one to the other; a sudden pang shot through her heart,
exciting a nameless dread in her mind. _"Even so quickly may one catch
the plague!"_

"Let me lead you to the table," said Mr. Berners, offering his arm to
Mrs. Blondelle, and conducting her to her place.

Above all, Sybil was a lady; for she was a Berners. So, with this
strange wound in her heart, this vague warning in her mind, she took her
seat at the head of her table and did its honors with her usual courtesy
and grace.

Mr. Berners seconded his wife in all hospitable attentions to their
beautiful young guest.

While they were all still seated at the table, a groom rapped at the
door and reported the stage-coach ready.

They all arose in a hurry, and began to make the last hasty preparations
for departure.

Mrs. Blondelle hurried into her own room, to have her luggage taken down
stairs to be put on the coach, and also to summon her nurse with the
child.

When Sybil Berners found herself for a moment alone with her husband,
she laid her hand upon his coat sleeve to stay him, in his haste, and
she inquired:

"What do you think of her now?"

"I think, my darling Sybil, that you were right in your judgment of this
lady. And I agree with you perfectly. I