crowning triumph! But then—these lines
—these lines." And she touched her tinted
cheek, where La Pareuse's utmost skill had
failed in its combat with time!

The white negro stooped her woolly head
to her mistress's ear, and whispered. The
latter started, and gazed at her.

"You are jesting!"

"My life upon it. It is certain. The
smoothness and beauty of a morning rose,
yourself—again sixteen."

"La Pareuse, it is horrible."

"To her, madame means?" grinned the
negro.

"To me. Tell me, La Pareuse, do they
hang, in this land, for—for murder?" asked
Mrs. Fonnereau.

"It is not murder. I will take care of
this, my most lovely neck!" said La
Pareuse, laying her finger, with unaffected
love and admiration, on her mistress's.
"But a few drops. Bright as a rose!
Tomorrow? he will come again to-morrow."

"To-morrow," replied Melusina, faintly.
"Go, now."

Lieutenant Haldimand did come to-morrow.
But he had learned more—much
more—and being, as I have said, a man of
action, came armed with two useful weapons,
a doctor's certificate and a magistrate's
search-warrant, and accompanied by
the doctor himself, and a constable.

Proceeding to the back, or kitchen-
entrance, the constable took charge of an
alarmed young lady, who acted as scullion,
and general drudge to La Pareuse. By
her, they were directed straight to the
apartment occupied by Miss Fonnereau,
the door of which stood open.

With stealthy steps, the visitors
approached. Heavy breathing, and moans
were audible within. Another step, and La
Pareuse could be seen, kneeling at the foot
of Geraldine's bed. So intent was she on
her occupation, that the doctor laid his
hand upon her shoulder, before she was
aware of his presence.

"Bleeding to death, ah!" he said, taking
from her hand a basin half-filled, and,
pushing the woman aside with his foot,
hastily stanched the blood that was streaming
from a vein punctured in each of the
poor girl's white attenuated feet.

"Take her, constable," said Haldimand.
"Now, woman, where is your fiend of a
mistress?"

"Don't hurt me. It is not murder!"
shrieked the woman. " She is not even hurt.
I gave her a sleeping potion. Look—she is
awaking!"

"Not hurt!" cried the indignant doctor.
"Take blood from a shadow like that, and
tell me she is not hurt!"

"We only borrowed it," said La Pareuse,
sullenly.

"'Borrowed' it!" echoed the doctor.

"It was for my mistress, to keep her
beautiful. Books say that if you touch
your face with the living blood of a pure
young thing like that, the beauty comes
again."

"Books? Devils' books. Faugh! "growled
the doctor. " Where's your mistress, you
old witch?"

"At her toilette."

"Let us help. Come, Haldimand."

They ran down stairs.

"Go you first," said the doctor, pushing
La Pareuse forward. The latter entered
the chamber.

The next moment she uttered a shriek so
piercing that it was heard, people said, at
the distance, of a mile. All rushed in.

The graceful figure of Melusina was seated
at the toilette-table. She was leaning her
cheek on her hand, but the finger tips were
crimsoned, and the still and fearful face,
reflected in the mirror, bore streaks and
patches of the same hue. instinctively the
men shrunk back. There was little need of
La Pareuse's shriek of agony.

"Dead! Dead! Dead!"

In the emotion of that horrible toilette,
some vessel had given way, and her own
blood had actually mingled with that which
this wretched slave of vanity and passion
was using, as she hoped, for her own
adornment, and the success of an evil end.

Geraldine lived to regain her beauty, and
reward her gallant rescuer, and Leafy Dell
resembles its former self only in name.

MR. CHARLES DICKENS'S FAREWELL
                       READINGS.

ME. CHARLES DICKENS will read on Tuesday,
April 27, at St. James's Hall, London; Thursday, April
29, Chester; Saturday, May 1 (Morning Reading), St.
James's Hall, London; Monday, May 3, Cardiff; Tuesday,
May 4, Swansea; Wednesday, May 5, Gloucester;
Thursday, May 6, Hereford; Saturday Morning, May
8, St. James's Hall, London; Tuesday Evening, May
11, Saturday Morning, May 22, and Tuesday Evening,
May 25, St. James's Hall, London.

All communications to be addressed to MESSRS.
CHAPPELL AND Co., 50, New Bond-street, London, W.