wn worship of her sister she knew full well he understood, though he
spoke of her but little.

"Well may you gaze at her," he said. "So does all the world, and honours
and adores."

He proffered her at last his arm, and she, having strangely taken
courage, let him lead her through the rooms and persuade her to some
refreshment. Seeing her so wondrously emerge from her chrysalis, and
under the protection of so distinguished a companion, all looked at her
as she passed with curious amazement, and indeed Mistress Anne was all
but overpowered by the reverence shown them as they made their way.

As they came again into the apartment wherein the host and hostess
received their guests, Anne felt her escort pause, and looked up at him
to see the meaning of his sudden hesitation. He was gazing intently, not
at Clorinda, but at the Earl of Dunstanwolde.

"Madam," he said, "pardon me that I seem to detain you, but--but I look
at my kinsman. Madam," with a sudden fear in his voice, "he is ailing--he
sways as he stands. Let us go to him. Quickly! He falls!"

And, in sooth, at that very moment there arose a dismayed cry from the
guests about them, and there was a surging movement; and as they pressed
forward themselves through the throng, Anne saw Dunstanwolde no more
above the people, for he had indeed fallen and lay outstretched and
deathly on the floor.

'Twas but a few seconds before she and Osmonde were close enough to him
to mark his fallen face and ghastly pallor, and a strange dew starting
out upon his brow.

But 'twas his wife who knelt beside his prostrate body, waving all else
aside with a great majestic gesture of her arm.

"Back! back!" she cried. "Air! air! and water! My lord! My dear lord!"

But he did not answer, or even stir, though she bent close to him and
thrust her hand within his breast. And then the frightened guests beheld
a strange but beautiful and loving thing, such as might have moved any
heart to tenderness and wonder. This great beauty, this worshipped
creature, put her arms beneath and about the helpless, awful body--for so
its pallor and stillness indeed made it--and lifted it in their powerful
whiteness as if it had been the body of a child, and so bore it to a
couch near and laid it down, kneeling beside it.

Anne and Osmonde were beside her. Osmonde pale himself, but gently calm
and strong. He had despatched for a physician the instant he saw the
fall.

"My lady," he said,