he adjacent
village, which all day long had been in a fever of excitement and
expectation over the prospect of the grand wedding that was to occur on
the morrow.

Nothing else had been talked of for a week, and everybody was anxious to
see the beautiful girl whom the distinguished English earl had won, but
who had so resolutely secluded herself that but very few had had even a
glimpse of her face; but on the morrow everybody would have an
opportunity to judge for themselves, whether she was one who would honor
the high position which had been offered her.

About nine o'clock Mrs. Mencke went up to her sister's room to see if
she needed anything before retiring.

She tried the door and found it locked.

"Are you in bed, Violet?" she called, in a low tone, with her lips at
the key-hole.

"No, Belle, but I am busy with a little writing which I wish to do,"
Violet answered, in calm, even tones. "But never mind me--go back to
your dancing; I can take care of myself and would rather not be
disturbed by any one again to-night."

"I will come up again in half an hour," Mrs. Mencke returned, not
satisfied to leave her thus for the night.

"No, do not, Belle, please--I prefer that you should not," pleaded her
sister.

"Will you be sure to take your drops? You will need all the strength
that you can get for to-morrow," persisted Mrs. Mencke.

"Yes, I will take them; I know that I shall need strength," was the
grave reply.

"All right; good-night, then, and a good rest to you," said Mrs. Mencke,
and the rustle of her silken garments on the stairs, a moment later,
told Violet that she had gone back to the gay company below which she
enjoyed so much.

Two hours later, when she came up to bed, she stopped again before
Violet's door, as she was passing to her own room, and bent her head to
listen.

All was quiet within, except for the ticking of the clock which stood on
a bracket near the door, and which, somehow, sounded strangely clear,
and almost seemed to give an ominous click with each motion of its
pendulum.

She did not try to enter; she thought if Violet was sleeping quietly it
would be unwise to disturb her, and so she moved on to her own chamber,
yet with a somewhat anxious and unsatisfied feeling at her heart.

She slept very soundly, and did not awake until nearly eight o'clock the
next morning. Her husband had gone to Nice a couple of days previous,
and was to return on the first train that day, so ther