aught is administered."

Olive gladly accepted the charge, and shortly after Doctor Vaughan
took his departure, wise and yet blind; blind as to the true cause of
Madeline's outbreak and subsequent submissiveness.

Madeline obeyed to the letter the instructions of Doctor Vaughan. As a
result, she fell asleep almost immediately, before calm thought had
come to dispel her mood of dreamy happiness.

In the morning she awoke quieted, refreshed, and quite mistress of
herself. She did not once refer to the events of the previous evening.
Only, before taking leave of Claire, she whispered in her ear:

"Dear Claire, you can make a noble man happy. Let his love atone to
you for this present bitterness. God bless you both."

It was an odd speech, truly. But as Madeline turned her back upon the
pretty villa, and was driven swiftly to the railroad depot, she
wondered why Claire had responded to it only with a passionate kiss
and with tears in her beautiful eyes.

And Claire, having seen her driven from the door, fled precipitately
to her room. Locking herself in, she fell upon her knees beside a low
chair. Burying her face in her hands she wept bitterly,--not for
herself, but for the girl who was so heroically resigning to another
the man she loved; who was going forth, alone, to encounter hardship,
perhaps danger, to fight single-handed, not only her own battles, but
those of her friends as well.

"And I dared to judge her," said the girl, indignantly. "I presumed to
criticise the delicacy of this grand, brave nature! Why, I ought to be
proud to claim her friendship, and I am!"

From that hour, let Madeline's course seem ever so doubtful, let Olive
fear and doubt as she would, Claire Keith stoutly defended every act,
and averred that Madeline could do nothing wrong. And from that hour,
Claire began to plot upon her own responsibility.

* * * * *

In due course Doctor Vaughan called, and was closeted with Olive a
very long time--rather, with Olive and Claire, for this young lady had
surprised her sister, by expressing a desire to hear what Doctor
Vaughan would say of Madeline's adventures. To tell the truth, Claire
had fancied that Clarence would criticise more or less, and it was in
the capacity of champion for the absent that she appeared at the
interview.

After the matter had been fully discussed, Doctor Vaughan addressed
himself to Claire: "Miss Keith, you have been a good listener. W