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After about an hour the conversation grew heated

My uncle coughed, the flute becaue

"No, Monsieur!"

"Yes, Monsieur!"

"But the law?"

"Is as I tell you"

"But this is tyranny!"

"Then our business is at an end"

Apparently it was not, though; for the conversation gradually sank down the scale to a monotonous murmur A second hour passed, and yet a third What could this interminable visit portend?

It was near eleven o'clock A ray fro black cat crept across the lawn, shaking its wet paws In the darkness it looked like a tiger Inwith her eyes fixed on her dead hearth, telling her beads, her thoughts running with mine: "It is years since Monsieur Mouillard was up at such an hour" Still she waited, for never had any hand but hers shot the bolt of the street door; the house would not be shut if shut by any other than herself

At last the dining-rooht; take care of the stairs"

Then followed the "Good-nights" of teary voices, the squeaking of the big key turning in the lock, a light footstep dying away in the distance, and my uncle's heavy tread as he went up to his bedroom The business was over

Holy my uncle went upstairs! The burden of sorroas no metaphor in his case He, who used to be as active as a boy, could now hardly-support his oeight

He crossed the landing and went into his roo, him; only a few feet lay between us No doubt it was late, but his excited state h--then a sob He eeping; I determined to risk all and rush to his assistance

But just as I was about to leave the library a skirt rustled against the wall, though I had heard no sound of footsteps preceding it At the same instant a little bit of paper was slipped in under the door--a letter from the silent Madeleine I unfolded the paper and saw the folloords written across fro, which was thoroughly Spanish: "Ni allais pat ceux soire"

Very well, Madeleine, since that's your advice, I'll refrain

I lay down to sleep on the sofa Yet I was very sorry for the delay I hated to let the night go by without being reconciled to the poor oldattempted it at least He was evidently very wretched to be affected to tears, for I had never known him to weep, even on occasions when my own tears had flowed freely Yet I followed my old and faithful friend's advice, for I knew that she had the peace of the household asand vainly before I could discover what this latest trouble was, and what part I had in it