e blood from that for dear
Josephine!" and she thrust a white arm out under his eye with such a
bold movement and such a look of fire and love as never beamed from
common eyes.

A keen, cold pang shot through the human heart of Edouard Riviere.

The doctor started and gazed at her with admiration: then he hung his
head. "I could not do it. I love you both too well to drain either of
life's current."

Rose veiled her fire, and began to coax. "Once a week; just once a week,
dear, dear doctor; you know I should never miss it. I am so full of that
health, which Heaven denies to her I love."

"Let us try milder measures first," said the doctor. "I have most faith
in time."

"What if I were to take her to Frejus? hitherto, the sea has always done
wonders for her."

"Frejus, by all means," said Edouard, mingling suddenly in the
conversation; "and this time I will go with you, and then I shall find
out where you lodged before, and how the boobies came to say they did
not know you."

Rose bit her lip. She could not help seeing then how much dear Edouard
was in her way and Josephine's. Their best friends are in the way of all
who have secrets. Presently the doctor went to his study. Then Edouard
let fall a mock soliloquy. "I wonder," said he, dropping out his words
one by one, "whether any one will ever love me well enough to give a
drop of their blood for me."

"If you were in sickness and sorrow, who knows?" said Rose, coloring up.

"I would soon be in sickness and sorrow if I thought that."

"Don't jest with such matters, monsieur."

"I am serious. I wish I was as ill as Madame Raynal is, to be loved as
she is."

"You must resemble her in some other things to be loved as she is.

"You have often made me feel that of late, dear Rose."

This touched her. But she fought down the kindly feeling. "I am glad of
it," said she, out of perverseness. She added after a while, "Edouard,
you are naturally jealous."

"Not the least in the world, Rose, I assure you. I have many faults, but
jealous I am not."

"Oh, yes, you are, and suspicious, too; there is something in your
character that alarms me for our happiness."

"Well, if you come to that, there are things in YOUR conduct I could
wish explained."

"There! I said so. You have not confidence in me."

"Pray don't say that, dear Rose. I have every confidence in you; only
please don't ask me to divest myself of my senses and my reason."

"I don't ask you to do t