"Yes, I know your brother, Frances," replied Adoni soothingly, humoring her vagrant fancy, "but he is not dead. He has gone upon a journey to a far country - to escape prison, don't you remember, Frances? He could not take you with him; he left you to take care of his little son, and to know you will do this for him will please Gerald so much. Will you, Frances, do this for your brother?"

The woman stared wonderingly at Adoni, then asked in a toneless voice. "How do you know about this baby? My husband said there was a child, but I did not believe him - until - " she broke off, pushing back the tumbled masses of hair from her brow, as if trying to think. "Until once when Jerry was sick - that was long - long ago, the little fellow was in bed with him - but my head throbs so, I can't remember when - "

"Come Frances, sit over here by the window, the fresh air will relieve you." Adoni placed his arm gently about her and led her a few steps toward the couch, when her wandering glance caught sight of the covered form upon the bed. She started, then wrenching herself from Adoni's arms, the distraught woman darted toward it, exclaiming joyously: "Jerry is here - why did you lie to me - he did not go away - why did you cover him up like this - to hide him from me?" she cried in a shrill, discordant tone. "He can not breathe, so give him air, uncover his face."

As Adoni did not move to obey, she grasped the sheet with trembling hands, hesitated an instant, then in desperation lifted it from the lifeless form and stared at it in wild-eyed terror, then turned her head to Adoni in deepest thought.

"Look," she whispered hoarsely. "She has killed him - the treacherous wanton - he loved her and her horrid lure tempted him. He told me she was beautiful, as fair as I, for I was once fair, but she is vile, a heartless creature who laughs and dances, while------oh curse her, curse her!"

Her voice rose in shrill wrathful frenzy, her eyes glowed with unnatural brilliancy, then as suddenly her variable mood changed and in pleading accents she faltered.

"Sister is not like that Jerry, not so vile, not so cruel. It may be that I was cruel, that the count died for love of me, I can't remember, but Qod has punished me, for now I am ugly, my beauty is gone; there will be none to care for me now, Jerry, no one but you. You must get well, for you're all I have. We will go away together; come, we must go before they put you in prison. Come! You must not go to sleep again." She placed her hands beneath the shoulders of the dead and with unnatural strength would have raised the stark form by sheer force, had not Adoni interposed.

"Stop! Prances, you must not awaken him," he said imperatively. "If you want him to get well, you must let him sleep. See how late it is; you cannot go until morning. You must go to bed and rest, or you will not be able to go at all."

"Yes," she sighed plaintively, withdrawing her hands and pressing them to her eyes, "I'm very tired. It's ages since I have slept; if only I could sleep as soundly as Jerry sleeps; but I shall never sleep again, never - never again. It is hard, for when I try to sleep, strange dreams come to me; horrible, waking dreams, and I lie awake and try to think; it wearies me to think, and my head------pains me."

Adoni stroked her head with a gentle, magnetic touch. "Poor tired head," he said, tilting it so as to catch her wavering fitful glance. Then, looking intently into the turbulent depths of her eyes, he said firmly: "Frances, you are going to your room now, you are going to bed at once and have a nice long sleep, the nurse will take you.9' He summoned the nurse and doctor, and explained. "I found it necessary to use hypnotic suggestion in quieting the overwrought tension of Mrs. Bourdalone's nerves; you need fear no further outburst, she will sleep peacefully until I awaken her. Everything possible must be done to make conditions favorable when she awakes. Anything suggestive of death or a sick room must be avoided. You realize as well as myself, that her state of mind is most critical, allow no one in the room except the nurse, to see occasionally that she is sleeping soundly. Tomorrow morning at nine, I will come to awaken her.

The doctor assured Adoni that his instructions would be faithfully observed. Meanwhile Frances stood passively beside the nurse, who was ready to take her to her own room. Adoni clasped her hand irl a cheerful way: "Goodnight Frances, the nurse has come to put you to bed; you will go with her quietly, and you will sleep well and dream of baby Jerry."

Without a word or glance, Frances followed the nurse from the death chamber. When they had gone, Adoni sought to find Lillian who, with her mother was waiting in the parlors. As Adoni entered, she arose to greet him. "It is all over - Gerald has passed away - and your little son can now be taught to say that his papa is in heaven."

For a few moments Lillian sobbed bitterly. Adoni did not attempt to console her, feeling that tears were good for the soul. Lifting the little curly haired babe from the floor, Adoni kissed him over and over again. "Dear little child, how like your father you are - the same big blue eyes and dimpled cheeks like your aunt Frances, who I know will love you just as much little Jerry, as she did your papa - that sweet smile will creep into her heart - yes, darling, now we will tell mamma what we want you to do." Adoni placed the baby upon her lap, saying: "Now tell me about yourself, Lillian, has the way been hard?"

"At first, - yes - very hard, but I followed your advice and just lived and worked for my baby, and when people found I didn't mind what they said and thought, most of them did not snub me any more."

"Then you really learned who your true friends were?"

"Yes, with them it made no difference, they were alt kind to me and mother, and I am so happy now that I did not marry Gerald, it was so much better in every way - I could not see it at that time, but I realize now and appreciate all you have done for me."