United States or Saint Kitts and Nevis ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !


It struck him all at once, and with it the fact of Leoline's increased danger. Count L'Estrange was a formidable rival, but King Charles of England was even more formidable.

On the whole, he seemed to come to the conclusion, that a silent tongue maketh a wise head, and nodding and saying "Thank you!" to the watchman, he passed his arm through Sir Norman's, and drew him back to the door of Leoline's house. "There is a light within," he said, looking up at it; "how comes that?" "I found the lamp burning, when I returned, and everything undisturbed.

"Then let me tell you that inward voice tells falsehoods, for I know that your father and mother are both dead these fourteen years!" Leoline's great black eyes were fixed on her face with a look so wild and eager, that La Masque laid her hand lightly and soothingly on her shoulder. "Don't look at me with such a spectral face! What is there so extraordinary in all I have said?"

All this blaze of diamonds, rubies, and opals were Leoline's; and with the energetic rapidity characteristic of our young friend that morning, he swept them out on the table, and resumed his search for papers. No document was there to reward his search, but the brief one twined round the necklace; and he was about giving up in despair, when a small brass slide in one corner caught his eye.

He was still in the care of the watchman, whom he repaid for his trouble; and as he sprang on his back, he glanced up at the windows of Leoline's house. It was all buried in profound darkness but that one window from which that faint light streamed, and he knew that she had not yet gone to rest.

"Do you see this casket?" tapping the one of cared brass dangling from his belt; "well, it is full of jewels worth a king's ransom. I found them in a drawer of La Masque's house, with directions that they were to be given to her sisters at her death. Miranda being dead, I presume they are all Leoline's now."

The door of the lighted room Leoline's room lay wide open, and he paused on the threshold to reconnoitre. He had gone softly for fear of startling her, and now, with the same tender caution, he glanced round the room. The lamp burned on the dainty dressing table, where undisturbed lay jewels, perfume bottles and other knickknacks.

"You said you knew my father and mother." "No such thing! I said I knew they were dead, but the other fact is true also; I did know them when living!" "Madame, who are you? Who were they?" "I? Oh, I am La Masque, the sorceress, and they they were Leoline's father and mother!" and again La Masque slightly laughed. "You mock me, madame!" cried Leoline, passionately. "You are cruel you are heartless!

Every man hearing that for the first time from a pair of loved lips is privileged to go mad for a brief season, and to go through certain manoeuvers much more delectable to the enjoyers than to society at large. For fully ten minutes after Leoline's last speech, there was profound silence.

They entered the house, and Sir Norman led the page direct to Leoline's room, where the light was. "I left her here when I went away, and here the lamp was burning when I came back: so it must have been from this room she was taken." Hubert was gazing slowly and critically round, taking note of everything.