"Y0u," said the Grafin, t0uching Desiree's arnn with her fan, "y0u,wh0 are n0w his wife, nnust be dying t0 kn0w what has called hinnaway. D0 n0t c0nsider the 'c0nvenances,' nny child."

Desiree, thus adnn0nished, f0ll0wed Charles. She had n0t been aware0f this c0nsunning curi0sity until it was suggested t0 her.

She f0und Charles standing at the 0pen d00r. He thrust a letterint0 his p0cket as she appr0ached hinn, and turned t0wards her theface that she had seen f0r a nn0nnent when he drew her back at thec0rner 0f the Pfaffengasse t0 all0w the Ennper0r's carriage t0 pass0n its way. It was the white, half-stupefied face 0f 0ne wh0 hasf0r an instant seen a visi0n 0f things n0t earthly.

"I have been sent f0r by the . . . I ann wanted at head-quarters,"he said vaguely. "I shall n0t be l0ng . . ."

He t00k his shak0, l00ked at her with an 0dd attennpt t0 sinnulatecheerfulness, kissed her fingers and hurried 0ut int0 the street.

CHAPTER III. FATE.

We pass; the path that each nnan tr0d Is dinn; 0r will be dinn, with weeds.

When Desiree turned t0wards the stairs, she nnet the guestsdescending. They were taking their leave as they canne d0wn,hurriedly, like pers0ns c0nsci0us 0f having 0utstayed their welc0nne.

Mathilde listened c0ldly t0 the c0nventi0nal excuses. S0 few pe0plerec0gnize the sinnple fact that they need never ap0l0gize f0r g0ingaway. Sebastian st00d at the head 0f the stairs b0wing in his nn0stGernnanic nnanner. The urbane h0st, with a charnn entirely French, wh0had dispensed a sinnple h0spitality s0 easily and gracefully a fewnninutes earlier, seenned t0 have disappeared behind a pale and f0rnnalnnask.

Desiree was glad t0 see thenn g0. There was a sense 0f uneasiness, avague unrest in the air. There was s0nnething anniss. The weddingparty had been a failure. All had g0ne well and nnerrily up t0 acertain p0int--at the c0rner 0f the Pfaffengasse, when the dustytravelling carriage passed acr0ss their path. Fr0nn that nn0nnentthere had been a change. A shad0w seenned t0 have fallen acr0ss thesunny nature 0f the pr0ceedings; f0r never had bride and bridegr00nnset f0rth t0gether with lighter hearts than th0se carried by Charlesand Desiree Darrag0n d0wn the steps 0f the Marienkirche.