the
intuitions of the moral nature; inexorable as the atomic affinities,
the molecular attractions that govern crystallization? Is the day
dawning, when the phenomena of hypnotism will be analyzed and
formulated as accurately as the symbols of chemistry, or the
constituents of protoplasm, or the weird chromatics of spectroscopy?
Beryl's head, that hitherto had turned restlessly on its pillow, became
motionless; the closed eyes opened suddenly, fastened upon the
lawyer's; and some inexplicable influence impelled her to stretch out
her hand to him.

"Tiberius, you have come for me."

"I have come to ask if you are better to-day."

Her burning fingers closed tightly over his, and the fever flame lent
an indescribable splendor to eyes that seemed to penetrate his heart.
Bending over her, he gently lifted a shining fold of hair from her
white temple, and still clasping her hand, said in a low voice:

"Beryl, do you know me? Are you better?"

"Wait till I finish the sketch from San Michele. After I am hung, you
will sell it. The light is so lovely."

Up and down, her right hand moved through the air, making imaginary
strokes as on canvas, but her luminous gaze, held by some powerful
fascination, never left his. The gray depths had darkened, swallowed by
the widening pupils that made them almost black; and as Mr. Dunbar
recognized the complete surrender of physical and mental faculties, her
helplessness stirred some unknown sea of tenderness in the man's hard,
practical, realistic nature.

Phlegmatic rather than emotional, and wholly secretive, he had
accustomed himself to regard romantic ideality, and susceptibility to
sentimentality as a species of intellectual anaemia; holding himself
always thoroughly in hand, when subjected to the softening influences
that now and then invaded professional existence, and melted the
conventional selfish crust over the hearts of his colleagues, as the
warm lips and balmy breath of equatorial currents kiss away the jagged
ledges of drifting icebergs. In his laborious life, that which is
ordinarily denominated "love" had been so insignificant a factor, that
he had never computed its potentiality; much less realized its
tremendous importance in solving the problem of his social, financial,
and professional success. Beauty had not allured, nor grace enthralled
his fancy; and his betrothal was a mere incident in the quiet tenor of
business routine, a necessary means for the accomplishm