ces for comfort, but found
none. The dry-eyed despair on the countenance of Heliobas pierced me to
the heart; the pitying, solemn expression of the venerable priest
touched me as with icy cold. The lovely, marble-like whiteness and
stillness of the figure before me filled me with a vague terror. Making
a strong effort to control my voice, I called, in a low, clear tone:

"Zara! Zara!"

No sign--not the faintest flicker of an eyelash! Only the sound of the
falling rain and the moaning wind--the thunder had long ago ceased.
Suddenly a something attracted my gaze, which first surprised and then
horrified me. The jewel--the electric stone on Zara's bosom no longer
shone! It was like a piece of dull unpolished pebble. Grasping at the
meaning of this, with overwhelming instinctive rapidity, I sprang up
and caught the arm of Heliobas.

"You--you!" I whispered hurriedly. "YOU can restore her! Do as you did
with Prince Ivan; you can--you must! That stone she wears--the light
has gone out of it. If that means--and I am sure it does--that life has
for a little while gone out of HER, YOU can bring it back.
Quick--Quick! You have the power!"

He looked at me with burning grief-haunted eyes; and a sigh that was
almost a groan escaped his lips.

"I have NO power," he said. "Not over her. I told you she was dominated
by a higher force than mine. What can _I_ do? Nothing--worse than
nothing--I am utterly helpless."

I stared at him in a kind of desperate horror.

"Do you mean to tell me," I said slowly, "that she is dead--really
dead?"

He was about to answer, when one of the watching servants announced in
a low tone: "Dr. Morini."

The new-comer was a wiry, keen-eyed little Italian; his movements were
quick, decisive, and all to the point of action. The first thing he did
was to scatter the little group of servants right and left, and send
them about their business. The next, to close the doors of the room
against all intrusion. He then came straight up to Heliobas, and
pressing his hand in a friendly manner, said briefly:

"How and when did this happen?"

Heliobas told him in as few words as possible. Dr. Morini then bent
over Zara's lifeless form, and examined her features attentively. He
laid his car against her heart and listened. Finally, he caught sight
of the round, lustreless pebble hanging at her neck suspended by its
strings of pearls. Very gently he moved this aside; looked, and
beckoned us to come and look al