are frozen. Rosario, why do you tremble so?"

Her teeth were chattering, and her whole frame trembled convulsively.
Rey felt the burning heat of his cousin's face against his own, and he
cried in alarm:

"Your forehead is burning! You are feverish."

"Very."

"Are you really ill?"

"Yes."

"And you have left your room----"

"To see you."

The engineer wrapped his arms around her to protect her from the cold,
but it was not enough.

"Wait," he said quickly, rising. "I am going to my room to bring my
travelling rug."

"Put out the light, Pepe."

Rey had left the lamp burning in his room, through the door of which
issued a faint streak of light, illuminating the hall. He returned in an
instant. The darkness was now profound. Groping his way along the wall
he reached the spot where his cousin was sitting, and wrapped the rug
carefully around her.

"You are comfortable now, my child."

"Yes, so comfortable! With you!"

"With me--and forever!" exclaimed the young man, with exaltation.

But he observed that she was releasing herself from his arms and was
rising.

"What are you doing?"

A metallic sound was heard. Rosario had put the key into the invisible
lock and was cautiously opening the door on the threshold of which they
had been sitting. The faint odor of dampness, peculiar to rooms that
have been long shut up, issued from the place, which was as dark as a
tomb. Pepe Rey felt himself being guided by the hand, and his cousin's
voice said faintly:

"Enter!"

They took a few steps forward. He imagined himself being led to an
unknown Elysium by the angel of night. Rosario groped her way. At last
her sweet voice sounded again, murmuring:

"Sit down."

They were beside a wooden bench. Both sat down. Pepe Rey embraced
Rosario again. As he did so, his head struck against a hard body.

"What is this?" he asked.

"The feet."

"Rosario--what are you saying?"

"The feet of the Divine Jesus, of the image of Christ crucified, that we
adore in my house."

Pepe Rey felt a cold chill strike through him.

"Kiss them," said the young girl imperiously.

The mathematician kissed the cold feet of the holy image.

"Pepe," then cried the young girl, pressing her cousin's hand ardently
between her own, "do you believe in God?"

"Rosario! What are you saying? What absurdities are you imagining?"
responded her cousin, perplexed.

"Answer me."

Pepe Rey felt drops of moisture on his hands.

"Why are