sses, "let
us drink to the eyes of beauty (military salute); and to the renown
of France; and double damnation to all her traitors, like that Captain
Dujardin; whose neck may the devil twist."

Ere they could drink to this energetic toast, a low wail at the door,
like a dying hare's, arrested the glasses on their road, and the rough
soldiers stood transfixed, and looked at one another in some dismay.
Rose flew to the door with a face full of concern.

Josephine was gone.

Then Rose had the tact and resolution to say a few kind, encouraging
words to the soldiers, and bid Jacintha be hospitable to them. This done
she darted up-stairs after Josephine; she reached the main corridor just
in time to see her creep along it with the air and carriage of a woman
of fifty, and enter her own room.

Rose followed softly with wet eyes, and turned the handle gently. But
the door was locked.

"Josephine! Josephine!"

No answer.

"I want to speak to you. I am frightened. Oh, do not be alone."

A choking voice answered, "Give me a little while to draw my breath."
Rose sank down at the door, and sat close to it, with her head against
it, sobbing bitterly. She was hurt at not being let in; such a friend as
she had proved herself. But this personal feeling was only a fraction of
her grief and anxiety.

A good half hour elapsed ere Josephine, pale and stern as no one had
ever seen her till that hour, suddenly opened the door. She started at
sight of Rose couched sorrowful on the threshold; her stern look relaxed
into tender love and pity; she sank, blushing, on her knees, and took
her sister's head quickly to her bosom. "Oh, my little love, have you
been here all this time?"--"Oh! oh! oh!" was all the little love could
reply. Then the deserted one, still kneeling, took Rose in her lap, and
caressed and comforted her, and poured words of gratitude and affection
over her like a warm shower.

They rose hand in hand.

Then Rose suddenly seized Josephine, and looked long and anxiously down
into her eyes. They flashed fire under the scrutiny. "Yes, it is all
over; I could not despise and love. I am dead to him, as he is dead to
France."

This was joyful news to Rose. "I hoped it would be so," said she; "but
you frightened me. My noble sister, were I ever to lose your esteem, I
should die. Oh, how awful yet how beautiful is your scorn. For worlds
I would not be that Cam"--Josephine laid her hand imperiously on Rose's
mouth. "To men