useful and agreeable to the
strangers, that finally they settled to cast in their lot with his, and
live under the same roof. Before the lapse of many months the news of
Alexis' death reached New Orleans. Moldask noticed the agitation with
which his friends received it, and told them that their secret was his.
They did not attempt a denial; so he offered to sacrifice his private
fortune, throw up his position in New Orleans, and take Carolina back to
Moscow. This offer she would hear nothing of. She thanked Moldask again
and again for his noble generosity, but expressed her fixed
determination not to revisit the scene of all that had been most
unpleasant in her life. She begged him not to betray her secret, and he
readily promised to keep it inviolate. The truth was that he had lost
his heart to the widow of Czar Peter's son. Respect, however, controlled
his feelings. He knew how exalted was her real station compared to his,
and resolved to conceal his love.

Time passed on, and one autumn evening a pararalytic stroke carried off
Carolina's pseudo-father. After this it was, of course, impossible that
she and Moldask should continue to inhabit the same house. He came to
her on the morning after her faithful old friend's funeral, and
explained that he must seek a new abode unless she would so far cast
away all thoughts of her former station as to consent to call him
husband. The princess, who had long regarded him with feelings warmer
than those of mere friendship, agreed to link her fate with his, and
from now began the happiest period of her so far troubled life. Their
union was blessed by the advent of a little girl; nothing seemed wanting
to render her happiness complete.

Years rolled by, and Moldask was attacked by a disease which baffled the
skill of the New Orleans doctors. His wife was determined that he should
have the best medical advice, and so persuaded him to sell all his
possessions and embark for Paris. Their journey was not in vain; the
skill of the Parisian physicians restored Moldask to good health, and he
obtained employment in a department of the French Government.

One day, as Carolina was walking in the public gardens with her little
girl, she met the son of her faithful friend, the Countess of
Konigsmark. She recognised him instantly, and, fearing that he might
know her, tried to brush past him with averted head. The Marshal,
however, was struck with her appearance, and, turning round, followed