much absorbed with
thoughts of Sybil, to notice the extra warmth of his greeting, or a
certain change of manner, that was a mingling of boldness, bashfulness,
humility and coxcombery.

"How do you do, Frank?"

"Well in body, Constance--"

"Oh! then we can easily regulate your mind. I'm going to see Sybil, and
I don't want your company; so adieu, Frank."

"One moment, please. I want to--I _must_ see you, this evening. Shall
you remain with us?"

"No. Aunt Honor below; we go home, soon."

"Then--may I call, this evening, Constance?"

"What a question! as if you did not call whenever the spirit moved you
so to do; come, if you like, child; I shall have no better company, I am
afraid," and on she swept, and had vanished within his sister's room,
before Frank could decide whether to be chagrined, or delighted, at so
readily given, carelessly worded, a consent.

The start, the nervous tremor, the terrified ejaculations, with which
Sybil greeted, even this expected and welcome guest, all told how some
deadly foe was surely undermining her life and reason. And Constance
noted, with a sinking heart, the dark circles around the eyes that were
growing hollow, and heavy, and full of a strange, wild expectancy: the
pale cheeks, thinner than ever, and the woful weariness of the entire
face.

Greeting her tenderly, and making no comments on her changed appearance,
Constance chatted for a time on indifferent subjects, and noted closely,
as a loving friend will, the face and manner of her listener. Sybil sat
like one in a trance, rather a nightmare, her eyes roving from her
visitor's face to the door, and back again, and this constantly
repeated; her whole attitude and manner, that of one listening, rather
for some sound, or alarm, from afar, than to the words of the friend
beside her.

At last, Constance finding commonplace about exhausted, said:

"Congratulate me, child! I have thrown off a burden from my shoulders; I
have brought my diamond investigations to a close."

"Ah! diamonds!" Sybil almost started from her chair, and the exclamation
came sharply from lips white and trembling.

"Yes, my lost diamonds, you know; I have dismissed Mr. Belknap."

"Belknap!" an unmistakable look of horror crossed her face. "Dismissed
him; oh, I wish _I_ could!"

Sorely at a loss, yet thinking it best not to seem surprised at what she
believed to be the efforts of a wandering mind to grasp and master the
subject under discussion,