ng the candle in one
hand and the purse in the other, Charles woke, caught sight of her, and
remained speechless with surprise. Eugenie came forward, put the candle
on the table, and said in a quivering voice:

"My cousin, I must beg pardon for a wrong I have done you; but God will
pardon me--if you--will help me to wipe it out."

"What is it?" asked Charles, rubbing his eyes.

"I have read those letters."

Charles colored.

"How did it happen?" she continued; "how came I here? Truly, I do not
know. I am tempted not to regret too much that I have read them; they
have made me know your heart, your soul, and--"

"And what?" asked Charles.

"Your plans, your need of a sum--"

"My dear cousin--"

"Hush, hush! my cousin, not so loud; we must not wake others. See," she
said, opening her purse, "here are the savings of a poor girl who wants
nothing. Charles, accept them! This morning I was ignorant of the value
of money; you have taught it to me. It is but a means, after all. A
cousin is almost a brother; you can surely borrow the purse of your
sister."

Eugenie, as much a woman as a young girl, never dreamed of refusal; but
her cousin remained silent.

"Oh! you will not refuse?" cried Eugenie, the beatings of whose heart
could be heard in the deep silence.

Her cousin's hesitation mortified her; but the sore need of his position
came clearer still to her mind, and she knelt down.

"I will never rise till you have taken that gold!" she said. "My cousin,
I implore you, answer me! let me know if you respect me, if you are
generous, if--"

As he heard this cry of noble distress the young man's tears fell upon
his cousin's hands, which he had caught in his own to keep her from
kneeling. As the warm tears touched her, Eugenie sprang to the purse and
poured its contents upon the table.

"Ah! yes, yes, you consent?" she said, weeping with joy. "Fear nothing,
my cousin, you will be rich. This gold will bring you happiness; some
day you shall bring it back to me,--are we not partners? I will obey all
conditions. But you should not attach such value to the gift."

Charles was at last able to express his feelings.

"Yes, Eugenie; my soul would be small indeed if I did not accept. And
yet,--gift for gift, confidence for confidence."

"What do you mean?" she said, frightened.

"Listen, dear cousin; I have here--" He interrupted himself to point
out a square box covered with an outer case of leather which was on the