she were
living, but not myself."

"Papa, bless me! it was for that I came to you. Oh, give me your
blessing before I go downstairs to--him, whom I must henceforth meet as
my promised husband."

"May the Lord bless and save you, my poor, motherless girl!" he said,
laying his hand on her bowed head.

And she arose, and without another word went below stairs.

When she entered the drawing room she found the viscount there alone. He
hastened to meet her with gallant alacrity and pressed his lips to hers,
but at their touch the color fled from her face and did not return. With
attentive courtesy Lord Vincent handed her to a seat and remained
standing near, seeking to interest and amuse her with his conversation.
But just as the tete-a-tete was growing unsupportable to Claudia, the
door opened and Beatrice entered. Too many times had Bee come in upon
just such a tete-a-tete to suspect that there was anything more in this
one than there had been in any other for the last six months. So,
unconscious of the recent betrothal of this pair, she, smiling, accepted
the chair the viscount placed for her, and readily followed Claudia's
lead, by allowing herself to be drawn into conversation. Several times
she looked up at Claudia's face, noticing its marble whiteness; but at
length concluded that it must be only the effect of late hours, and so
dropped the subject from her mind.

Presently the other members of the family dropped in and the dinner was
served.

One vacant chair at the table attracted general attention. But, ah! to
one there that seat was not vacant; it was filled with the specter of
her murdered truth.

"Where is Mr. Worth?" inquired Mrs. Middleton, from the head of the
table.

"Oh! worked himself into a nervous headache over Allenby's complicated
brief! I told him how it would be if he applied himself so
unintermittingly to business; but he would take no warning. Well, these
young enthusiasts must learn by painful experience to modify their
zeal," said the judge, in explanation.

Everyone expressed regret except Claudia, who understood and felt how
much worse than any headache was the heart-sickness that had for the time
mastered even Ishmael's great strength; but she durst utter no word of
sympathy. And the dinner proceeded to its conclusion. And directly after
the coffee was served the viscount departed.

Meanwhile Ishmael lay extended upon his bed, clasping his temples and
waging a silent war with his