hy not? However, let us leave it to Andre."

Andre, thus addressed, stepped forward, and said,--

"I do not think that it would be delicate to let Mademoiselle de
Mussidan know that her secret is known to any one else than ourselves."

The Viscountess nodded assent.

"If," continued Andre, "the Viscountess will be good enough to ask
Modeste to meet me at the corner of the Avenue de Matignon; I shall be
there."

"A capital idea, sir," said the lady, "and I will give your message to
Modeste." She broke off her speech suddenly, and uttered a pretty little
shriek, as she noticed that the hands of the clock on the mantelpiece
pointed to twenty to twelve. "Great heavens!" cried she, "and I am going
to a ball at the Austrian Embassy, and now not even dressed." And, with
a coquettish gesture, she drew her shawl around her, and ran out of
the room, exclaiming as she descended the stairs, "I will call here
to-morrow, Gontran, on my way to the Bois," and disappeared like
lightning.

Andre and his host sat over the fire, and conversed for a long time. It
seemed strange that two men who had met that morning for the first time
should now be on such intimate terms of friendship; but such was the
case, for a mutual feeling of admiration and respect had sprung up in
their hearts.

M. de Breulh wished to send Andre home in his carriage, but this the
young man declined, and merely borrowed an overcoat to protect him from
the inclemency of the weather.

"To-morrow," said he, as he made his way home, "Modeste shall tell all
she knows, provided always that that charming society dame does not
forget all about our existence before then."

Madame de Bois Arden, however, could sometimes be really in earnest.
Upon her return from the ball she would not even go to bed, lest she
should oversleep herself, and the next day Andre found Modeste waiting
at the appointed spot, and learnt, to his great grief, that Sabine had
not yet regained consciousness.

The family doctor betrayed no uneasiness, but expressed a wish for a
consultation with another medical man. Meanwhile, the girl promised
to meet Andre morning and evening in the same place, and give him such
scraps of information as she had been able to pick up. For two whole
days Mademoiselle de Mussidan's condition remained unchanged, and Andre
spent his whole time between his own studio, the Avenue de Matignon, and
M. de Breulh's, where he frequently met Madame de Bois Arden.

But on t