answered Bopeep timidly, and yet firmly.

"Bah!" exclaimed Maurice, a heavy cloud gathering on his brow which was very unusual there. "Do you mean to say I am to give place to a phantom ?" He paused, and looked at her face, downcast, pale, but resolute. Then he said, with a bitterness which made every word a sting, "Either you are mad, or you are deceiving me."

He turned away, leaving her standing there. There were a few people near her, but the business of the stage was now going on again, and the little crowd which had gathered to witness her triumph was dispersed. A sense of intolerable loneliness came upon her a feeling of isolation which she could hardly bear. "How can I live!" she said to herself, "when I have no friend to be pleased with me? Oh, Maurice, your words will kill me !"

Just then she felt her hand touched and drawn through some She looked protecting arm. with a sudden shrinking and a rapid freezing of her whole form; for, if Bopeep had one greater horror than another, it was for the empty-headed class of young dandies who hang about stage wings. and think they have a right to make themselves agreeable to anyone who braves the footlights. Several of this sort, passing friends of Maurice's, or of some of the actors, frequented the Gem; but they would as soon have made love to the North Pole itself as to Bopeep. So that this friendly liberty startled her the more by its unusualness.

She was half surprised, half puzzled, when she found it was Mr. Litton who had taken her arm in his. He was looking at her very seriously. She had always avoided him as a tiresome elderly fop; but now she remembered the flowers he had brought her; and, besides,

She turned her head and looked across at Maurice. He was standing in one of the wings, with a weary look on his face which made him seem very handsome. It had come to a strange pass with the flower-faced violinist when this man had become to her the special bondage of her life. A little while ago she thought him the only man in the world-she still thought him so, indeed: the difference was that she herself had seen another world, and measured herself and her love by another standard.

"How can I help it?" she said, low, to herself, almost unconscious, so unobtrusive was his sympathy, that Mr. Litton was close beside her. "I have promised: if he will

not release me, I must keep my promise."

"And die in keeping it ?" said Mr. Litton, in a voice as low.

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Why not?" she answered quietly. He had so naturally finished her thought that it did not occur to her as strange to give him her confidence. "Why not? have no fear of death: Ariel will help me to die."

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I

I

Then you are very happy,' said Mr. Litton. They had moved on, further away from the stage, and had paused near a great mirror. The Gem was exquisitely fitted, and Maurice liked it to look like a drawing-room. The bottom of the mirror was banked with fresh flowers which were reflected in it. Mr. Litton, glancing up, saw behind these flowers a girl, in white, with dim eyes set in a pale face; her hand rested on the arm of an elderly dandy himself. The thought flashed through his mind -how was it that this girl, young, beautiful even in her pallor, full of genius, now just crowned with triumph, should feel no fear of death; while to this made-up, worn-out creature at her side the idea of death was a thing of terror? Puzzled and interested he looked again at her-forgetting to scan every point of himself in the glass, and admire his own strut out of the corner of his eye, after his usual fashion. It was at this moment that Madonna came out of her dressing-room, wrapped in her furs.

She stopped on the threshold to look at them. "I declare," she exclaimed to herself, "I have really helped that dear old fellow. He looks positively nice at this moment-there is a peep of his own spirit to be seen through the rouge and gallantry. Little Bopeep can work miracles, that is plain. But she is terribly tired. I must take her home. Come," she said aloud,

advancing to them, "I am going to take this triumphant child away; don't you see how white and weary she is, Mr. Litton ?"

"Indeed I do," he said; "and I am very glad you are taking her home."

He saw them out to Madonna's carriage; then said good night, and walked to his own house through the streets, forgetful of his dress shoes, which he ordinarily considered it sacrilege to walk in.

Madonna left Bopeep at her own door. They were silent all the way, and the girl felt timid, not knowing whether Madonna was angry with her. As the carriage stopped she nerved herself to say, "Have you spoken to Maurice?

"Yes," answered Madonna. "I told him what you had said. He takes it as I suppose any man would. I don't know what you are to do with him, but I must leave him to you now, because I don't understand your position myself. I find it as difficult as he does, when he is talking to me, to understand how a vision can interfere with your relations to him. But when I am with you, I feel you so much in earnest that my common-sense is at a loss. I had

better keep out of the matter. He is coming to you to-morrow afternoon. You must tell him all yourself."

"Good night," said Bopeep with a quaint humility, "and thank you."

Madonna drew her back and kissed her with all her old warmth. Truth to tell, she was not changed, but only puzzled beyond her capacity.

Through the weary night the girl endured a deep dejection, which resulted partly from the strain of the evening, and partly from the anticipation of her interview with Maurice. Fortunately

for her, she had not to wait through the long morning hours as she had expected. Her old nurse carried away the untasted breakfast, and left her for her customary hours of practice.

"Come to me, Ariel!” cried Bopeep aloud; and she took her violin and began to draw from it some sad sighing notes. Almost instantly her face brightened, and her eyes shone with a look which is never seen but in the eyes of the visionary. Just as her very soul was growing rapt in ecstacy she heard Maurice's knock at her outer door. A moment more and he was by her side. Rapt as she was, she clung to her vision. Instead of turning to welcome Maurice, she fell on her knees and held out her hands to the gay figure of her other-world lover. 66 Ariel," she cried aloud, "help me through this torture! Tell me what I am to do. Maurice," she went on, rising, and speaking quickly, "I am glad-so glad to see you. Let us speak out our hearts without fear. Ariel is here too. He wishes me to speak my heart honestly. Will you release me from my engagement?"

"No," said Maurice, with a sullenness which he could not disguise," why should I? You must marry somebody: a girl like you can't go on in a public life and live alone. I can take care of you; why not marry me? I am speaking roughly, I know; but you wish us to speak out our hearts, and you have made my heart rough with your whims and fancies. Two months ago you professed to love You don't seem to have any other lover now; why should I release you?"

me.

"Maurice," she said, catching his arm suddenly, "do you truly mean to say you cannot see him? He is as substantial and as clear as you yourself--and oh, so beautiful!"

Her earnest action startled Maurice inexpressibly. He looked quickly round as though expecting to see a ghost in the morning sunshine. Then he shook the feeling off with an effort. "Bah!" he said, "if you see phantoms, what does it matter? Genius is sister to eccentricity; but you can't expect me to accept a phantom as my rival. Be reasonable if you can, just for a moment, and you will see how ridiculous a position you place me in.”

"It is not ridiculous," said Bopeep, "it is inevitable. I shall die if I am false to Ariel, because it is he who can inspire me and give me life. But, if you will not release me, I am willing. I know I have promised, and I will fulfil my promise if you wish."

"How can you justify yourself in taking this extraordinary position?" asked Maurice, looking hard at her, and trying to speak calmly.

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By your own creed-that one should be true to one's strongest affection, and obey the law of one's being," she answered quickly. “I would give everything I have to make you my friend, Maurice; there is no one in this world for whom I care as I do for you—I spoke truth when I told you so. But since I said it music has lifted me into another state-Ariel has come to me out of the very heart of music, and completed my existence. I cannot exist without him."

"And all this you say seriously?" said Maurice.

She lifted her eyes to his for answer. They were wells of pathos, of emotion, of passion.

"I do not think you are deceiving me," said Maurice, looking down into those sad eyes. "You are true, I believe; indeed, the world would rock under me if I could believe otherwise. But,

Bopeep, you are overstrained, your brain is excited."

She put up her hand with a gesture of despair. "Can I never convince you that there is another world besides that which you walk about in? I will!" she exclaimed suddenly, and drew herself up with the action of a sibyl. Maurice

was startled, awed by the flame in her face, and the inturned look in her strange grey eyes. "What is it, Ariel?" she said, and seemed to listen. Then suddenly she approached close to Maurice. "Where is that paper?" she asked of him. He stood motionless, fascinated by the straight gaze of her eyes, which had grown glazed and fixed, and had no recognition in them. Quick as lightning she had put her hand. in his breast pocket, drawn out a pocket-book, and, before he could. stop her, was hurriedly yet resolutely turning over the papers in it. She drew one out.

Maurice started forward and tried to catch her hand, but she evaded him, and instantly flung it into the hot centre of the fire. Maurice stood aghast, gazing at the instant evanishment of the paper. Bopeep refastened the book and gave it him.

"Ariel has done that," she said; "he has saved you from yourself. Do you not realise his existence

now ?"

She spoke slowly, with a weary utterance, and in a moment after began to tremble. Then her eyes slowly regained a living look.

Beads of perspiration stood upon Maurice's brow. He felt as if turned to stone. The burning of that paper was like the lifting of an iron bond from his soul, although it reduced him to despair. It was a forged cheque upon an insurance company of which he was an officer. Expensive tastes and a liking to see the Gem look like a drawing-room, added to a great lack of mana

gerial ability, had brought his affairs to a crisis. He had convinced himself that this temporary appropriation of the company's money was justifiable, as he relied upon Bopeep herself, in her great and increasing popularity, to make a great success at the Gem. He expected to pull through the trouble, and repay the company, keeping the secret locked in his own breast of how he had met the dire extremity. But now-now that the secret was torn from him, he felt its full horror, felt that that scrap of paper could never be rewritten without an unbearable scar upon his conscience. Yet it was his last despairing effort to escape ruin, not only for himself, but for others. He started, and tried to speakbut he had to moisten his lips first. "Tell me," he said, hurriedly, "before you awake; if Ariel can see my secret, and can destroy my plans, can he not help me ?"

"Yes," she said very softly, "he will help you," and then rubbing her eyes as though she had been asleep, she said, "Oh, how tired I am!

She seemed hardly conscious. Maurice rose softly to go; he felt as if he could bear no more. "Please give me my violin," she said suddenly, as she heard him move. He gave it to her, and languidly she drew the bow across it, and began to extract from it a strange, sobbing music, which had a strain of subdued rejoicing

underneath that cut Maurice to the heart. He felt that it was her ode to liberty. He looked back from the door at her. The heavy lids had closed over her eyes. With a sigh he went out, to face the overwhelming difficulties which surrounded him.

had

It was not long after he gone that Mr. Litton climbed the stairs to Bopeep's little front door, to inquire after the young violinist's health. Her pale face had haunted him all night. The old nurse answered his summons.

"Oh, my young lady is as well as usual, sir," said she. "Will you come in?" she added, mindful of Bopeep's delight in the flowers that Mr. Litton had brought with him the day before. "She is practising in the parlour. I'm sure she'd be glad to see you."

Guided by the sweet sound of Bopeep's violin, Mr. Litton pushed open the door of the room in which she was. She turned instantly that he entered. There was а marvellous light in her grey eyes, and she held out both her hands to him. "I am so glad to see you," she said, with a joyous laugh. "Ariel has been waiting for you. Mr. Litton, are you very rich ?" "Rather," he said, amused at her childish manner.

"Will you lend Maurice a great deal of money? He has said nothing to me, and I know nothing; but Ariel has filled me with the feeling that he is in trouble with the theatre, and is in desperate need of money now."

"I should hardly have supposed it," said Mr. Litton, looking very grave.

"But it is so, I feel it so," said Bopeep earnestly; " and Mr. Litton, if you will save him now, and will help him through this time, it will come all right for him and you, because Ariel and I are going to make the theatre pay."

She spoke with the most childlike delight, her hands clasped, her grey eyes suffused. Mr. Litton wondered whence had come all this glow, transforming the pale girl of last night into the bright creature of this morning. He did not know the secret of her regained freedom.

"If it will please you and your Ariel," he answered with a smile, which made his face almost handsome, "I will do anything you

like.'

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Oh, it will please us if you will save Maurice," cried Bopeep. "We will play for you-oh, wonderfully!

"I believe it!" said Mr. Litton, "and I am sure with your success the theatre ought soon to recover. I shall tell Maurice he must double the prices of the seats. Shall I go over to the theatre now, and see him?"

"Oh, do!" cried ecstacy of delight. you are, Mr. Litton. I am going to play ever have played in night!"

Bopeep in an "How good Do you know better than I my life, to

She took up her violin again with a loving touch, as Mr. Litton left the room to do something which a week ago he would have laughed to scorn-put money into a shaky concern-a theatre which did not pay. But Bopeep's witchery had turned his head; he had begun to forget himself, and to take a new interest in other lives. He found Maurice at the theatre, with a strange broken look on his face. He succeeded in hinting what