mate you all."

Daniel was busy in his study, finishing a paper for the minister, when
the count's servant came and brought him Henrietta's letter. He knew
that something extraordinary must have happened to induce Henrietta,
with her usual reserve, to take such a step, and, above all, to write to
him in such brief but urgent terms.

"Has any thing happened at the house?" he asked the servant.

"No, sir, not that I know."

"The count is not sick?"

"No, sir."

"And Miss Henrietta?"

"My mistress is perfectly well."

Daniel breathed more freely.

"Tell Miss Henrietta I am coming at once; and make haste, or I shall be
there before you."

As soon as the servant had left, Daniel dressed, and a moment later he
was out of the house. As he walked rapidly up the street in which the
count lived, he thought,--

"I have no doubt taken the alarm too soon; perhaps she has only some
commission for me."

But he was beset with dark presentiments, and had to tell himself that
that was not likely to be the case. He felt worse than ever, when, upon
being shown into the drawing-room, he saw Henrietta sitting by the fire,
deadly pale, with her eyes all red and inflamed from weeping.

"What is the matter with you?" he cried, without waiting for the door to
be closed behind him. "What has happened?"

"Something terrible, M. Daniel."

"Tell me, pray, what. You frighten me."

"My father is going to marry again."

At first Daniel was amazed. Then, recalling at once the gradual
transformation of the count, he said,--

"Oh, oh, oh! That explains every thing."

But Henrietta interrupted him; and, making a great effort, she repeated
to him in a half-stifled voice almost literally her conversation with
her father. When she had ended, Daniel said,--

"You have guessed right, Miss Henrietta. Your father evidently does
propose to you a bargain."

"Ah! but that is horrible."

"He wanted you to understand, that, if you would consent to his
marriage, he would consent"--

Shocked at what he was going to add, he stopped; but Henrietta said
boldly,--

"To ours, you mean,--to ours? Yes, so I understood it; and that was my
reason for sending for you to advise me."

Poor fellow! She was asking him to seal his fate.

"I think you ought to consent!" he stammered out.

She rose, trembling with indignation, and replied,--

"Never, never!"

Daniel was overcome by this sudden shock. Never. He saw all his hopes
dashed in an insta