er emotion, she fell in his extended
arms, devoid of consciousness.

"She is saved!"' said Coursegol, who had followed his master.

"Ah, Coursegol, can it be true?" demanded the Marquis, who could
scarcely believe his own eyes.

"Did she not recognize you? Did she not speak to you? Her madness
disappeared as soon as her maternal instincts were re-awakened."

They carried the Marquise to her chamber and laid her upon the bed. In
obedience to Coursegol's directions a cradle was placed in her room and
the infant deposited in it; then the devoted servant mounted a horse and
started for Nimes in quest of a physician.

When he returned at the end of three hours, accompanied by the doctor,
the Marquise had regained consciousness. They had shown her the sleeping
Dolores and, reassured by the sight of the child, she had fallen asleep.
Occasionally she roused a little and those around her heard her murmur:

"My daughter! my daughter!"

Then, raising herself upon her elbow, she watched the babe in silent
ecstasy until overcome with exhaustion she again closed her eyes in
slumber.

"I can be of no service here," said the physician. "Her reason has
returned unquestionably; and her weakness will be overcome by good care
and absolute quiet."

It was in this way that the Marquise was restored to her right mind.
From that day her hold upon life slowly but surely strengthened; she
recognized her husband and her son, and it was not long before they
could without danger reveal the circumstances attendant upon Dolores'
arrival at the chateau. Three months later her recovery was complete.

One morning the Marquis sent for Coursegol.

"I gave you Dolores," said he, abruptly; "will you not return her to me?
Henceforth she shall be my daughter."

"She is my daughter as well," replied Coursegol, "but you may take her,
sir. Though I relinquish her to you, I do not lose her since I shall
live near her, and we can both love her."

The Marquis de Chamondrin offered his hand to Coursegol, thus consenting
to the compact that gave Dolores two protectors; and so the daughter of
the gypsy, though she had lost her parents, was not an orphan.

CHAPTER III.

THE CHILDHOOD OF DOLORES.

Dolores passed a happy childhood in the Chateau de Chamondrin, where she
was loved, petted and caressed as if she had been the little Martha
whose loss had deprived the Marquise of reason for many dreary months.
Nothing was left undone to render the