The Duvenger Curse

placed so Avide apart that nothing can ever bridge the gulf . " And her decision Avas final . Going up stairs that afternoon , I saiv Louis bending over the cradle of his baby . Perhaps , I thought , the man ' s better nature is coming to him at last . Then ,

looking up , I saw down the hall Artemise , threading her fingers through her long black hair . Some impulse prompted me to go to her . "Goodbye , " I said ; "I am going tomorrow . "

She caught my arm . " Look ! " she said , " down in the darkness , there ! what do you see ?" " Nothing , " I answered , " But I do , " she went on , " ghosts and shadows of what should be , and is not ; wrongs ! wrongs ! which must be burnt out with fire . " And she vanished before I knew it .

The last evening a feeling of constraint was upon us . Our packing was all done , and we had nothing to do but start the next morning . Messrs . LeGrand and Fourier were there for a little while , and we did our best to keep up the conversation . Nip sat on a low stool at my feet , with her head on my lap , all the evening , silent for once . Even when we retired to

our rooms she stood looking out of the window , while Isabel and I talked in a commonplace way about the arrangements for the morrow . She spoke at last : " Girls , come here . " We saw , as we looked out toward the wing , a lurid glare in the haunted room ;

flickering , dying , springing up again , ever growing redder and stronger . The truth flashed upon us , even before a tongue of flame licked its way across the window . We gave the alarm , and the whole house was aroused . The stifling smoke crept up

through the halls ; the wildest consternation prevailed among the servants . A strong voice rang out : " Silence ! and listen to me . "

It restored order , and James Fairfax rapidly assigned to each one an especial duty . llie town was by this time awakened , and people came surging into the grounds , tramping down the flower beds , and even entering the house . Isabel and I went outside and looked up at the ivindow , watched it as the flames died out , yielding before the power of man .

At last it was over ; the crowd dispersed , and quiet gradually settled down again . No damage was clone except in the wing . We saw as we went in , a dim light in thc parlour , and something lay there , covered with a white cloth . Josie stole

softly out to us , crying bitterly . " They found her in the room , " she said ; " you know her mind was completely shattered ; we think she must have kindled the fire . " " Poor Artemise" said Isabel" perhaps

, , she has revealed the mystery . If insanity is in the family Marie Duvenger may have killed herself . " As we went upstairs I asked where Nip

was . " In her room I think , " was the reply ; " I saw her go there some time ago . " The door between was closed ; it implied a wish for privacy , which we did not disturb . We passed a restless night , rising early in the morning , but long after Isabel

and I were dressed there was no sign of Nip . I rapped on the door , and receiving no answer opened it , and called : " Come , child , get up , it ' s late . " My voice sounded strange and hollow in the deserted room . The bed had not been slept in , and a note lay on the table for

me : " Don't waste your time in tears for me , you know I've no soul . You must think of me as having vanished away to fairy land , and taken Louis ivith me where he will find perpetual happiness . There goes a tear splash on the paper ! Well , girls , if

I haven ' t any soul 1 have some heart , and it hurts at being torn away from you all , but I have to choose between a blank life and Louis , and he is everything . Do you understand me ? This is all I ' m . going to say , only don ' t think hard thoughts of NIP . "

Gone ! our little Nip ! We saw when ive went down stairs the worst was known . Louis had left a note for the family . There was no need of pursuit , they , would have sailed for France before they could be reached . We had c » me to St . Philippe light hearted and joyful ; ive left it sadly and tearfully . * * * * * . *

A year had passed away . We had settled down into our old life . Isabel , after a short withdrawal from society , came out again , calm and superb as ever . She