No. 13 Washington Square

re intimate asylum of her private sitting-room, and sat down and stared into her fire. She was still d

ortunes acquired during the last generation as upon beings of an inferior order. It was blood-discs that gave her her supremacy, not vulgar discs of gold. She had enoug

nner of living was that the criticism had the unfortunate quality of being based on truth. Of late, the struggle to maintain her inheri

o the bedroom, but did not look up; nor a moment later when Olivetta re

tter, Cousin Caroli

as faithful and devoted as though a very member of her body. So Mrs. De Peyster rela

t, except for less than a thousand which I have on hand,-a mere nothing,-I am penniless un

nned, then was ejacula

ter a moment, "why not have J

o not care to explain." She would n

oney from the bank, as you

t just here was the pinch-or one of them. To cover the excess in her expenses she had already borrowed-secretly, for

pon one of the jewel cases which

line. But, of course you wou

ow can you think

d Olivetta. "Please forgive me, Caroline

. The previous spring, while in Paris, she had had her jewels most confidentially replaced with excellent i

, "can't you cut down expenses and remain in town

Mrs. De Peyster. "Are you out of your senses Olivet

etta. "But you might go to some modest resort for t

en my custom to spend the first half of the summer in Europe, in a style befitting me, and to spen

urse!" cried the

fully realiz

slow, and full of awed dismay. "You must mainta

st

n began to move in spasmodic pro

Europe-and that newspaper is going to print your picture among the social leaders who have sailed-and

tory, a horror out-climaxing any in Olivetta's tragic list, burs

ir!" she bare

r?" Olivetta r

ail-Mrs. Allistair will use it as capita

asped the app

stood up, rigid

must sail!

nk of some way out of it? I never

and stood looking down into the pleasant bustle of Washington Square. Olivetta watched her

oamed afar to the desolate realm which she inhabited, and she thought of her own sitting-room, dark and stingily furnished, and rather

she said, half to herself, "it really wou

zed at her steadily. And gradually, as she gazed, her whole appearance changed. The c

roline?" cried Olivet

ai

etely her dignified and composed self, she stepped toward her bedroo

yster open

til

eper instan

rs. De

him waiting in the hall till I s

is it?" asked Olivetta exc

. De Peyster in

fireplace, Olivetta gazing at her in throbbing suspense. The

ou, Olivetta, I know are completely devoted to me. So I know you both will faithfully execu

ivetta. "Neve

,-never!" dec

now, here are my orders, Matilda. The house, of course, is being boarded up as usual. All the servants are sent away except William; and that order, if you have given it, for a maid for

y?" cried the e

w a dénouement is heightened by a quiet manner-"in reality

" ejaculate

!" exclaim

ill ever know of it. By staying here, I shall be practically at no expense

livetta had remaining a

broad! You are a person of importance-your every move is observed.

. But Mrs. De Peys

vetta. You shall

ivetta, yet mo

s,

ord Europe for yourself, ho

expected of me. I cannot afford that. For you, Olivetta, since the passag

that I am to

es

People will know

one to-night. You will go on board with my trunks late this evening, heavily veiled. Since no

er seasick!"

be on board. Your stewardess will bring your meals to your stateroom. When the boat arrives, you must wait till every one e

e's the di

become known that Mrs. De Peyster has gone off on a long motor trip through unvisited portions of Europe and will not return

Olivetta, drawing

why could you not go over yourself and

cognized. And then think of the talk! No, that would never

re right, ma'am,

the way over. And to avoid any possible difficulty in getting into the hous

"in the mean time you cannot stay

which assured her co-conspirators that they could lean untroubled upon he

erentially dignified, the most irreproachably expressionless of men-servants. He was the ultimate development of his kind. It seems almost a sacrilege t

add that she will remain in the house alone during my absence; that you are to keep to your quarters in the

body slightly, as if

e, and to relieve Matilda's monotony, I desire

m bowed a "Y

stand this

ecuted one of the

y, Mrs. D

y we

wave of her hand, and William made

began Matilda, a

t driving nightly in your cloth

-" gaspe

veiled, and William is the best-trai

ng for the outburst of approval, just tribute to one wh

e prompted, "what do you

t, I-I-suppose it's all

vetta, what d

. "Paris!-the Louvre!-the Luxembourg!-Versailles!" She flung her arms about Mrs. De Peys