The Duvenger Curse

" Is that true . " asked Nip . "It is , " answered Mr . Hathaway , concisely . Isabel stood , white and still , with her long , black lashes drooped on her cheek . " Are congratulations in vogue ? " she

asked in a cold , clear tone ; " if so , accept mine , both Mme . LeFevre and Mr . Hathaway . " " Thank you , " answered Mme . LeFevre ; " but it was unfortunate Louis wan so

abrupt . ' " Better so , " he said ; " it does away with some intrigue and deceit . Isabel come , here some of you , she has fainted . " We all crowded around her , Maurice Hathaway and James Fairfax stooping to lift her .

" You have no right to her noiv , " said the latter , and Maurice stepped back , while James Fairfax bore the unconscious burden to her room . His face was white

and set . " I knew that all the time , " he said . We brought her to herself , and she stayed in my room that ni ght . I had slept some time , when I awoke with a start , and found Isabel sitting up in bed .

There ivas a sound of music , that same weird singing we had heard before . Ni p stole in , thoroughly seared . " Girls , " said I , " that eomes from Marie Duvenger ' s room . " " Let us go and see" said Isabel .

, " Very well , " I replied ; " only don't scream , either of you . " Silently we groped our way down the long hall , and around the turnings , until we reached the haunted chamber . Yes , the singing was there ; we opened the

door , and saw a white figure standing in the moonli ght ; Artemise Dupont . " Three of you , " she said , on seeing us ; "are the wrongs of this house to come throng ing up for ever 1 " For the second time terror mastered

us , and we fled precipitately , never stopping until we had reached our rooms . " Girls , she is mad , " said Nip ; " oh , the house is full of wrongs , " Isabel had betrayed her secret , but she bore it with her calprideavoiding

own m , Mr . Hathaway , and never referring to the discovery . James Fairfax , without intruding himself upon her , was so quietly ti'ieudl y that it helped her . One day Ni p earae to me with wide opeu eyes :

" What do you suppose I heard ? I was in the parlour talking ivith some one , Avhen I heard footsteps , and slipped into the little ante-room . After I thought it Avas safe , I opened the door to go out , and Avho should be there but Mr . HathaAvay

and Isabel . He was pleading with her for one kind word , telling her she was the only Avoman he ever loved ; and do you know , she listened to him in the laziest way , and swept from the room without a word . "

Since I had found the shoemaker ' s daughter , the child was often at the house . One evening she had been singing in her rarest manner , when suddenly she clashed of a wonderful waltz . Louis crossed over to Niand held out his hands . She rose

p , , and tlie two whirled down the long salon . No one else followed their example , but there seemed some magic in the child ' s playing that threw a witchery over us all . James Fairfax stood looking out of . the ivindow , apparently unconscious of two

pairs of eyes that were meeting in a long , intense look ; but Mme . LeFevre saw it and bit her lips . There was another face growing darker and darker ; far away doivn the salon was that couple ivaltzing ; burying the pastforgetting the future

, , living only in the bitter pleasure of the moment ; they were conversing , too , in low tones . Starting up , his wife crossed down the room , and seized Louis' arm

roughly . " Let us have an end of this , " she said ; " I will not be insulted , " Louis shrugged his shoulders with a little laugh , and walked back with her , and Naehette's father coining for her at that moment broke up the restraint .

Few of us felt any regret when the last day of our stay came , matters were growing so unpleasant . In the afternoon Isabel and I were standing by the fountain , ivhen Mr . Hathaivay joined us . " Perhaps you will hear me in the

presence of your friend , " said he . " God only knows hoAv 1 love you , Isabel ; if you knew you Avould not cast me off . Say one Avord more and this hateful marriage shall not be . Adrienne LeFevre ' s wealth tempted me before 1 knew you . "

" No , " she answered ; " your choice is made , and nothing is left for me but to Avish you every happiness , and I do wish it from my heart . But you and I are