igent he would not have studied so hard; if he had not been
strong and active he might not have taken up athletic sports so
whole-heartedly; and when I add that Allan possessed charm, money and
social status you may see that what he did would have broken down most
young fellows. In short, he kept studies, sports and social affairs all
going at high pressure during his four years of college. But he was
young and strong, and might not have felt so much ill effects from all
that; though his doctors said afterwards that he was nearly at the
breaking point when he graduated."

Phyllis bent closer to the story-teller in her intense interest. Why, it
_was_ like one of her fairy-tales! She held her breath to listen, while
the old lawyer went gravely on.

"Allan could not have been more than twenty-two when he graduated, and
it was a very short while afterwards that he became engaged to a young
girl, the daughter of a family friend. Louise Frey was her name, was it
not, love?"

"Yes, that is right," said his wife, "Louise Frey."

"A beautiful girl," he went on, "dark, with a brilliant color, and full
of life and good spirits. They were both very young, but there was no
good reason why the marriage should be delayed, and it was set for the
following September."

A princess, too, in the story! But--where had she gone? "The two of them
only," he had said.

"It must have been scarcely a month," the story went on--Mr. De Guenther
was telling it as if he were stating a case--"nearly a month before the
date set for the wedding, when the lovers went for a long automobile
ride, across a range of mountains near a country-place where they were
both staying. They were alone in the machine.

"Allan, of course, was driving, doubtless with a certain degree of
impetuosity, as he did most things.... They were on an unfrequented part
of the road," said Mr. De Guenther, lowering his voice, "when there
occurred an unforeseen wreckage in the car's machinery. The car was
thrown over and badly splintered. Both young people were pinned under
it.

"So far as he knew at the time, Allan was not injured, nor was he in any
pain; but he was held in absolute inability to move by the car above
him. Miss Frey, on the contrary, was badly hurt, and in suffering. She
died in about three hours, a little before relief came to them."

Phyllis clutched the arms of her chair, thrilled and wide-eyed. She
could imagine all the horror of the happening through t