the rustle of a gown, and without
turning her head to see who it was, added, "Yes, that is all, except
to assure you our tete-a-tete has been exceedingly delightful to me; I
had actually forgotten that a storm was raging!"

CHAPTER XXIX.

Miss Loring glanced about in surprise when she found no one in the
room but her uncle and Madame Caron.

"Oh, I did not know you had left your room," she remarked, going
towards him; "do you think it quite wise? And the storm; isn't it
dreadful?"

"I have endeavored to make him forget it," remarked Judithe, "and
trust I have not been entirely a failure."

She was idly fingering the volumes in the book-case, and glanced over
her shoulder as she spoke. Her hands trembled, but her teeth were set
under the smiling lips--she was waiting for his accusation.

"I have no doubt my uncle appreciates your endeavors," returned
Gertrude, with civil uncordiality, as she halted back of his chair,
"but he is not equal to gayeties today; last night's excitement was
quite a shock to him, as it was to all of us."

"Yes," agreed Judithe; "we were just speaking of it."

"Phil Masterson tells me the men will be here some time today for
Captain Monroe," continued Gertrude, still speaking from the back of
his chair, over which she was leaning. "Phil's orderly just returned
from following the spy last night. Caroline made us think at first it
was the guard already from the fort, but that was a mistake; she could
not see clearly because of the storm. And, uncle, he came back without
ever getting in sight of the man, though he rode until morning before
he turned back; isn't it too bad for--"

Something in that strange silence of the man in the chair suddenly
checked the speech on her lips, and with a quick movement she was in
front of him, looking in his face, into the eyes which turned towards
her with a strange, horrible expression in them, and the lips vainly
trying to speak, to give her warning. But the blow of paralysis had
fallen again. He was speechless, helpless. Her piercing scream brought
the others from the sitting room; the stricken man was carried to his
own apartment by order of Dr. Delaven, who could give them little hope
of recovery; his speech might, of course, return as it had done a year
before, after the other paralytic stroke, but--

Mrs. McVeigh put her arm protectingly around the weeping girl,
comprehending that even though he might recover his speech, any
improvement