onal appearance might constantly disturb the perfect
equilibrium of love."

He ceased. The covert meaning was seized with lightning rapidity by
Courtland. Springing to his feet, he exclaimed joyfully: "The sacrifice
must be mutual. God never created a soul that could outdo Charles
Courtland's in generosity."

Flinging his useless dagger upon the floor, he threw himself into the
already extended arms of the photographer, and begged him "to be quick
with the operation." The artist required no second invitation, and ere
the last words died upon his lips, the sightless ball of his left eye
swung from its socket.

There was no cry of pain; no distortion of the young man's features with
agony; no moan, or sob, or sigh. As he closed firmly his right eye, and
compressed his pallid lips, a joyous smile lit up his whole countenance
that told the spectator how superior even human love is to the body's
anguish; how willingly the severest sacrifice falls at the beck of
honor!

I shall attempt no description of the manner in which I received the
astounding news from the lips of the imperturbable Pollexfen; nor
prolong this narrative by detailing the meeting of the lovers, their
gradual recovery, their marriage, and their departure for the vales of
Dauphiny. It is but just to add, however, that Pollexfen added two
thousand five hundred dollars to the bank account of Mademoiselle
Marmont, on the day of her nuptials, as a bridal present, given, no
doubt, partially as a compensation to the heroic husband for his
voluntary mutilation.

Long months elapsed after the departure of Lucile and her lover before
the world heard anything more of the photographer.

One day, however, in the early spring of the next season, it was
observed that Pollexfen had opened a new and most magnificent gallery
upon Montgomery Street, and had painted prominently upon his sign, these
words:

+----------------------------------------------------+
| JOHN POLLEXFEN, PHOTOGRAPHER. |
| |
| _Discoverer of the Carbon Process, |
| By which Colored Pictures are Painted by the Sun._ |
+----------------------------------------------------+

The news of this invention spread, in a short time, over the whole
civilized world; and the Emperor Napoleon the Third, with the liberality
characteristic of great princes, on hearing from the lips of Lucile a
full