udder at her touch.

"Go to your husband, countess," cried she, and her voice was hoarse
and cold.

Lodoiska's eyes filled with tears. Once more she attempted to take
Elise's hand, but the latter firmly crossed her arms and looked at her
almost threateningly. "Go!" said she, in a loud, commanding voice.

Bertram took the arm of the countess and drew her to the door.
"Hasten!" said he; "there is no time to lose."

The door closed behind them. Elise was alone. She stood and listened
to their departing steps; she heard the house door open; she heard the
post-horn once more sound out merrily, and then cease. "I am alone!"
she screamed, with a heart-rending cry. "They are gone; I am alone!"
And stretching her arms despairingly to heaven, and almost beside
herself, she cried out, "O God! will no one have compassion on me?
will no one pity me?"

"Elise," said her father, opening the room door.

She sprang toward him with a loud exclamation, she rushed into his
arms, embraced him, and, nestling in his bosom, she exclaimed faintly,
"Have pity on me, my father; do not drive me from you! You are my only
refuge in this world."

Gotzkowsky pressed her firmly to his breast and looked gratefully
to heaven. "Oh! I well knew my daughter's heart would return to her
father."

He kissed ardently her beautiful, glossy hair, and her head that was
resting on his breast. "Do not weep, my child, do not weep," whispered
he, tenderly.

"Let me weep," she answered, languidly; "you do no know how much
sorrow and grief pass off with these tears."

The sound of the post-horn was now heard from the street below and
then the rapid rolling of a carriage.

Elise clung still more closely to her father. "Save me," she cried.
"Press me firmly to your heart. I am quite forsaken in this world."

The door was thrown open and Bertram rushed in, out of breath,
exclaiming: "She is gone! he did not recognize her, and took her for
you. The countess--"

He stopped suddenly and looked at Gotzkowsky, of whose presence he had
just become aware.

Gotzkowsky inquired in astonishment, "Who is gone? What does all this
mean?"

Elise raised herself from his arms and gazed at him with flashing
eyes. "It means," she answered, "that the happiness of my life is
broken, that all is deception and falsehood where I looked for love,
and faith, and happiness!" With a touching cry of suffering, she fell
fainting in her father's arms.

"Do not rouse her, father,"