od wind blows you over
here?"

Then, suddenly noticing Daniel's terrified appearance, he added,--

"But what am I talking about? You look frightened out of your wits.
What's the matter?"

"A great misfortune, I fear," replied Daniel.

"How so? What is it?"

"And I want you to help me."

"Don't you know that I am at your service?"

Daniel certainly thought so.

"I thank you in advance, my dear Maxime; but I do not wish to give you
too much trouble. I have a long story to tell you, and you are just
going out"--

But Brevan interrupted him, shaking his head kindly, and saying,--

"I was only going out for want of something better to do, upon my word!
So sit down, and tell me all."

Daniel had been so overcome by terror, and the fear that he might
possibly lose Henrietta, that he had run to his friend without
considering what he was going to tell him. Now, when the moment came to
speak, he was silent. The thought had just occurred to him, that Count
Ville-Handry's secret was not his own, and that he was in duty bound not
to betray it, if possible, even if he could have absolutely relied upon
his friend's discretion.

He did not reply, therefore, but walked up and down the room, seeking in
vain some plausible excuse, and suffering perfect agony. This continued
so long, that Maxime, who had of late heard much of diseases of the
brain, asked himself if Daniel could possibly have lost his mind.

No; for suddenly his friend stopped before him, and said in a short,
sharp tone,--

"First of all, Maxime, swear that you will never, under any
circumstances, say to any human being a word of what I am going to tell
you."

Thoroughly mystified, Brevan raised his hand, and said,--

"I pledge my word of honor!"

This promise seemed to re-assure Daniel; and, when he thought he had
recovered sufficient control over himself, he said,--

"Some months ago, my dear friend, I heard you telling somebody a
horrible story concerning a certain Mrs. Sarah Brandon"--

"Miss, if you please, not Mrs."

"Well, it does not matter. You know her?"

"Certainly. Everybody knows her."

Daniel did not notice the extreme self-conceit with which these words
were uttered.

"All right, then. Now, Maxime, I conjure you, by our friendship, tell
me frankly what you think of her. What kind of a woman is this Miss
Brandon?"

His features, as well as his voice, betrayed such extreme excitement,
that Brevan was almost stunned. At last he