ame of that person?"

Her lips moved to pronounce his name, but some swift intuitive warning
restrained the utterance. Suddenly a new horror, a ghastly possibility,
thrust itself for the first time before her, and she felt as though
some hand of ice clutched her heart.

Those who watched her so closely, saw the blood ebb from cheeks and
lips; noted the ashy pallor that succeeded, and the strange groping
motion of her hands. She staggered toward the platform, and when the
Magistrate caught her arm, she fell against him like some tottering
marble image, entirely unconscious.

* * * * *

So prolonged and death-like was the swoon, and so futile the usual
methods of restoration, that the prisoner was carried into the small
ante-room, and laid upon a wooden bench; where a physician, who chanced
to be in the audience, was summoned to attend her. Finding restoratives
ineffectual, he took out his lancet:

"This is no ordinary fainting fit."

He attempted to roll up one of her sleeves, but seeing this was
impracticable, would have unfastened her dress, had not Judge Dent
arrested his hand.

"No, doctor; cut out the sleeve if necessary, but don't touch her
otherwise."

"Let me assist you; I can easily bare the arm."

As he spoke, Mr. Dunbar knelt beside the bench, and with a small, sharp
pen-knife ripped the seam from elbow to shoulder, from elbow to wrist,
swiftly and deftly folding back the sleeve, and exposing the perfect
moulding of the snowy arm.

"Just hold the hand, Dunbar, so as to keep it steady."

Clasping closely the hand, which the physician laid in his palm the
attorney noted the exquisite symmetry of the slender fingers and oval
nails. He bent forward and watched the frozen face. When the heavily
lashed lids quivered and lifted, and she looked vacantly at the grave
compassionate countenances leaning over her, a certain tightening of
the hold upon her fingers, drew her attention. Her gaze fastened on the
lawyer's blue eyes as if by a subtle malign fascination. The veil that
shrouded consciousness was rent, not fully raised; and as in some dream
the solemn eyes appeared to search his. A strange shivering thrill shot
along his nerves, and his quiet, well regulated heart so long the
docile obedient motor, fettered vassal of his will, bounded, strained
hard on the steel cable that held it in thrall.

"You feel better now?" asked the physician, who was stanching