swooning on the floor, the children were crying,
the smoke now poured in through the lamp-hole
at the top of the partition, and the panel was
hot to the hand.

Suddenly the countess rose to her feet, stared
round her with the eyes of madness, and
exclaimed: "O Karl, Karl! He is dead! Karl
is dead; he has fallen." And stepping out on
the footboard before I could touch her, she either
fell or threw herself into the darkness.

I shall never forget the shriek of the
countess's daughter as her mother reeled and fell.
Some dreadful impulse seemed to urge her to the
same dreadful death; but I held her, and
implored her to be calm, and to help me to save
the children. By this time the flames had begun
to reach us through the charred partition; the
very floor would soon be hot under our feet.
She promised me she would do what I advised,
and drew the children to her.

The train still went on at the same appalling
speed; already many of the passengers had cast
themselves out; many others were frantically
screaming to have the train stopped. Again I
tried to reach a guard, but the flames drove me
back. The luggage-van, and the next carriage,
were vomiting flames. I returned to my own
carriage, and found it empty— on fire. I
staggered, and fell back into tlie darkness. I
remember no more.

When I awoke, I was in the hospital at
Luneville. I was lying with my head bandaged; my bed
was one of a long row of beds. A neatly-dressed
nurse smiled when she saw me open my eyes,
and made a gesture to some one who stood out
of sight. A soft little hand pressed mine, and
I heard a voice: it was the voice of Eloïse
Espinasse.

"Dear, dear Guardy," she said, "how ill you
have been! Alfred and I thought at one time
you would never have got over it; but, God be
thanked, you are at last given to us again."

"Bless you, Eloïse, and Alfred too; how long
have I been here?"

"Six weary weeks. They telegraphed for me,
and Alfred brought me over. The doctor says
you will soon recover now."

"And the count," I said, " and the countess,
and— and all."

"And all? And Mademoiselle Hélène, you
mean; all nearly well— only bruised— thank God,
all escaped without much hurt. Mademoiselle
Hélène talks much of you. And O Guardy, you
love her— I'm sure you do."

By degrees, as I recovered strength, I heard
the whole story. The train had been set on fire
by some Red conspirators in hopes of destroying
the President: who, after all, had not travelled
by it, although he had sent two or three officers
of his personal staff. The engine-driver and
guards had been bribed, or in some way or
other gained over. They were sent to the
galleys for life. The accident was but slightly
mentioned in the Trench papers, although several
persons lost their lives. The President desired
the plot to be as little known as possible.

From the count— whom I strongly suspected
of having made a rather premature attempt
on his own selfish account— I heard that he
had thrown himself over a sloping bank, and
suffered nothing more severe than a bad shaking.
The countess had fallen stunned, with her head
not more than two inches from the rails. The
long train of carriages had passed her as she
lay insensible, but she had escaped. When I
left the carriage one of the children got on to
the seat, trying to look out of window to see
where his mother had fallen; in doing so he had
overbalanced himself and fallen. The flames
had then come in so fast that they had threatened
instant death to Mademoiselle Hélène and
the remaining children, who, believing me killed,
had stepped out on the footboard, and one by
one dropped. Many extraordinary escapes of
this kind could be testified to, by many living
persons who were in that train.

"But the best of all, Guardy," said my ward
to me one day when she came to see me, " is,
that they have discovered that M. Gouffet, at
Bar-le-Duc, and M. Rouget, at Châlons, were in
league in this affair; and they are both to be sent
to the galleys; and ever since they have been
arrested, our law matters at Lunevifle have gone
on well, and all will soon be settled; and Alfred
says I am to marry him as soon as you are well
enough to give me away."

It must have been a sudden thought of the
lawyer of Châlons to make me a victim to his
cruel plot. But he did much better. He made
me known to a charming wife, to whom I am
devoted.

Now ready, Stitched in a Cover, price Fourpence,
MRS. LIRRIPER'S LODGINGS,
FORMING THE
EXTRA DOUBLE NUMBER FOR CHRISTMAS.
CONTENTS;

How Mrs. Lirriper carried on the Business.
How the First Floor went to Crowley Castle.
How the Side-Room was attended by a Doctor.
How the Second Floor kept a Dog.

How the Third Floor knew the Potteries.
How the Best Attic was under a Cloud.
How the Parlours added a Few Words.

On the 4th of January, 1864, will be commenced, to be completed in Six Numbers of ALL THE YEAR ROUND, a
New Story, called A WHITE HAND AND A BLACK THUMB.

Volume XI. will begin on the 15th of February, 1864, with a New Serial Story, entitled QUITE ALONE, by
GEORGE AUGUSTUS SALA.