oot on the floor.

"Oh, so pale, my Lady! but her face is the loveliest I ever
saw,--almost," added she, with an after-thought; "but so sad! she looks
like the twin sister of the blessed Madonna in the Seminary chapel, my
Lady."

"Was she at her devotions, Fanchon?"

"I think not, my Lady: she was reading a letter which she had just
received from the Intendant."

Angelique's eyes were now ablaze. She conjectured at once that Caroline
was corresponding with Bigot, and that the letter brought to the
Intendant by Master Pothier was in reply to one from him. "But how do
you know the letter she was reading was from the Intendant? It could not
be!" Angelique's eyebrows contracted angrily, and a dark shadow passed
over her face. She said "It could not be," but she felt it could be, and
was.

"Oh, but it was from the Intendant, my Lady! I heard her repeat his name
and pray God to bless Francois Bigot for his kind words. That is the
Intendant's name, is it not, my Lady?"

"To be sure it is! I should not have doubted you, Fanchon! but could
you gather the purport of that letter? Speak truly, Fanchon, and I will
reward you splendidly. What think you it was about?"

"I did more than gather the purport of it, my Lady: I have got the
letter itself!" Angelique sprang up eagerly, as if to embrace Fanchon.
"I happened, in my eagerness, to jar the door; the lady, imagining
some one was coming, rose suddenly and left the room. In her haste she
dropped the letter on the floor. I picked it up; I thought no harm, as I
was determined to leave Dame Tremblay to-day. Would my Lady like to read
the letter?"

Angelique fairly sprang at the offer. "You have got the letter, Fanchon?
Let me see it instantly! How considerate of you to bring it! I will give
you this ring for that letter!" She pulled a ring off her finger, and
seizing Fanchon's hand, put it on hers. Fanchon was enchanted; she
admired the ring, as she turned it round and round her finger.

"I am infinitely obliged, my Lady, for your gift. It is worth a million
such letters," said she.

"The letter outweighs a million rings," replied Angelique as she tore it
open violently and sat down to read.

The first word struck her like a stone:

"DEAR CAROLINE:"--it was written in the bold hand of the Intendant,
which Angelique knew very well--"You have suffered too much for my sake,
but I am neither unfeeling nor ungrateful. I have news for you! Your
father has gone to France in