mourned as only women can nette. Her figure, which had been mourn their dead, lay her love for slight almost to emaciation, had Loui, and her ever increasing attained the most luxurious desense of his loss. No separation, velopment, and with its soft curves no amount of irrefragable proof and fluctuant grace displayed the of the cruelty of his conduct to- very fascination of form. Her wards her, produced the slightest purple black hair had so increased alteration in her feelings towards in length and luxuriance that she him. She palliated his offences might have emulated Godiva and until they assumed an appeaar- remained undiscovered in its silkance of right, she clung to him en veil. Her mouth, with its exwith a love which, all unknown to quisite arch, and short full upper herself, was sheer idolatry, and lip, barely closed in ripe redness little as she suspected it, a hope over her dazzling teeth, seemed born from the very depth of de- formed for love and laughter, spair, a wildly cherished convic- while a pensive drop in its crimtion, unacknowledged even to her son corners, attested that it had own heart, that the time must been perverted by sorrow from its come when Loui would restore original purpose, although the so her to his love, ran like a vein of doing had given it an additional gold through the cold granite of charm. But it was in her eyes her existence, and filled it with a that her beauty culminated and glow of glory. the secret of her wonderful attraction lay. Tender, passionate, languid, and yet brilliant, they looked up out of their curtaining lids, with the same imploring pathos that Loui had seen reflected from every wave of the waters, which he thought had engulfed her, and he on whom their glances fell, felt them penetrate his heart of hearts.

Had her husband, weary of his new associates, weary of himself and curling his haughty lip at all save the childish face which looked up so confidingly from his bosom, been permitted to gaze on the glorious reality, there would have been small danger of Camille's pining for unreciprocated affection, for her beauty was of a type on which few men could look with

careless eyes.

From the time of her severe illness, some physical transformation had been progressing with wonderful rapidity and almost magical effects, and now she stood the very incarnation of womanly development and perfect beauty.

Add to all this an elegance and style in dress, which her French origin bestowed, and a manner whose grace was refined to the highest degree of perfection, light up this beautiful form with a soul as pure as a star, and a mind of inexhaustible richness, and Camille La Fronde is its visible embodiment.

The sallowness of her skin had been replaced by a mingling of Among the many guests which the pure alabaster whiteness of a the political position of affairs had blonde, with the vivid carmine brought to Southside and Broadtints usually peculiar to the bru- fields, was one whose coming was.

always the signal of increased en- attentions of Mr. Fontaine, withjoyment to the inmates of the re- out a thought that there was more spective mansions. This was the comprehended in them than a natHonorable Percy Fontaine, young- ural desire to please one, whose er son of a rich and aristocratic life was singularly blighted, and English family, who, having ex- whose position gave her peculiar hausted his native land and claims on others. the continent, in search of amuse- So it was with a great horror no ment, had come to America for words could convey, that Camille's the purpose of hunting up in that unconsciousness was aroused to comparatively fresh country, a the perception that she was the new sensation. Young, ex- object of a love as ardent as it tremely handsome, and possessed was respectful. No spoken words of a perfect knowledge of the conveyed the conviction, but the world, his manners exercised a language of eyes was sufficiently fascination few could resist, and explicit, and afforded so many he was welcomed as the life and proofs of Mr. Fontaine's devotion, soul of whatever circle he might that the girl trembled in the tuchoose to enter. mult of feeling which the revelation produced, and flying to her aunt and uncle, told them her fears and entreated that the story of her life should be told before her lover could give spoken expressions to his feelings.

Meeting Camille in the full flush of her beauty, Mr. Fontaine suddenly found himself possessed of a new sensation, and one which in undivided intensity and power of subjecting him to its imperious sway, exceeded not only all he had hitherto known, but taught him the existence of depths and capacities in his nature, the possibility of which he had never dreamed.

Her wish was executed. Mr. Esten communicated in a seemingly incidental manner the marriage of his niece, and the subsequent conduct of her husband, and though his guest was too It is not in woman's nature to highly bred to permit his feelings be thrown with one so gifted and of surprise and disappointment to fascinating as Camille's new ador have any outward manifestation, er, and be made the constant re- he was not able to conceal encipient of a refined and delicate tirely the unmistakable effect of homage, without being in some the communication of his host.degree attracted by the source Recollecting a pressing engagefrom which that homage proceeds. ment, in Richmond, he summoned Ever conscious of the circum- his valet, pressed Mr. Esten's stances which enveloped her with hand, left a graceful good bye for almost the sanctity of a cloistered Camille, and springing to nun, it never occurred to Camille stylish vehicle, drove away with that others were less cognizant of a kiss of his pale grey gloves diher peculiar position than she rected to the windows of Camille's herself was, consequently she ac- chamber.

cepted the indisputably agreeable

His going was an inexpressible

relief to the young girl, yet feel- upon him, looked at him with an ing, despite herself, a sense of expression of detestation and conloneliness without him, she passed tempt.

as much of her time, as her aunt "Do you know me?" she said, could spare, at Southside under while her paleness vanished bethe influence of Charley's genial fore the indignant blood which brightness. rushed over her face. "Do you know me?"

"I know you as the most beautiful woman on earth--I know that I love you more than my own life!" was the passionate reply.

One afternoon, after a lovely day, in the bloom of early summer, which she had passed under the shady groves of Southside, the Colonel drove her home, and left her at the enclosure of the Broadfields plantation, he going on his way to attend some important marriage?" meeting of which he was Chair- trembling lips. "Do you not man, and she strolling slowly know my husband yet lives?" through the fragrant woods.

"Have you not heard of my she gasped with

"I know that you are bound by a mockery of form to a wretch who is unworthy one glance from your beloved eyes-I know that

Reaching the house and learning that Mr. and Mrs. Esten had driven out and would not return till tea time, Camille walked out the law can free you from the into the garden, now glowing in despicable scoundrel and give you the scarlet and gold of sunset, to me, and the object of my life and entering one of its most se- is, that this may be accomplished," questered summer houses, threw and he endeavored to take her herself upon a mossy seat, leaned hand. She recoiled from him as her head against a vine-covered if he had been a serpent, and hid pillar that stood near, and resign- her bowed face in her hands. ed herself to thoughts of love and Loui.

"Camille " he continued, in tones that were music in their Absorbed in this ever-enchant- softness, "judge between us. He ing subject, she was unconscious married you for your wealth, and of the approach of light foot- embraced the merest pretext for steps, nor was she aware of the casting you from him-he allows entrance of Mr. Fontaine, until, your beautiful youth to waste throwing himself beside her, he away without one thought of seized her hands and covering your suffering, he holds you bound, them with kisses, poured out a wild story of his love.

The girl grew very white, and her soft fingers in his grasp turned cold as stone. Drawing them from him with a force that made them quiver with pain, she raised her proud figure to its full height, and fastening her flashing eyes

yet is free as air himself, bestowing his constant attention and all that such a nature can give of love on one, who though vastly inferior to you, is too good and too pure to be the victim of such a villain."

"It is false!" she cried, as folding her arms she curled her proud

lips and ooked disdainfully into cold eyes of Loui La Fronde.', his face.

"I wish for your sake that it were," " he said earnestly, "but facts unfortunately prove its

truth."

"The absent are always wrong!" she said indignantly. "Were Loui here, you would not dare defame him!"

Further speech was checked by a glance at the pitiable figure which stood before him as, with a face quivering with pain, Camille rallied the failing resources of her nature, and too proud to show her suffering to a stranger, compelled her voice to steady itself as she replied to the words which had sapped the very foundation of her happiness.

"There must be some mistake in this matter, Mr. Fontaine,” she said slowly, "You speak of my marriage as a mockery of form,

"You are severe," he said as he winced under her words, "but no severity can controvert facts. Do you think I have been idling in Richmond, during the time I have been forced from your presence? I went direct from your home to and needing only the touch of Knoxville, where I knew Mr. La Fronde resided. I made the acquaintance of the family in which he is domesticated, and much as I shrank from it, of himself."

the law to remove it. I take higher ground, and hold God's work not to be lightly undone.We will not discuss Mr. La Fronde, nor will you again utter to his wedded wife, words which are an insult to her and yourself. I am a woman who is so steeped in sorrow, that all the brightness of life has been washed away. I "Yes, I have seen him-the appeal to your honor and your child of the house, the petted sense of knightly chivalry to prodarling of its owners, and the tect me from yourself and from openly acknowledged lover of the feeling you term love."

"You have seen Loui! You have seen him?" she murmured, and now the eyes that were raised to his were flooded with a strangely soft light.

Miss Franklin, and repaying her unconcealed devotion with an imperial condescension that would of itself have been a sufficient justification of my inordinate desire to shoot him!

Camille, "he continued," discard the thought even of one so utterly unworthy. Anticipate his purposed action in applying to the law for release, become my wife, and in the possession of my ceaseless and all adoring love, find that life has a sweeter future in store for you than hanging dependent for one look of kindness from the

"I were base indeed, could I refuse, angel of purity and goodness that you are!" he exclaimed as he gazed enraptured upon her suffering and strength. “I am but a man with all man's weakness, and I cannot promise not to love you, for that is beyond my power to fulfill, but I can and do promise upon my honor never again by word or look to distress you, or lay the weight of one additional sorrow on your heavily laden

life."

She held out her hand, and he pressed his lips upon it, then, lest

her waning strength should de- have whipped five thousand Yansert her, she walked hastily kees out of their very boots.— through the garden, followed by The 1st North Carolina regiment her companion, and with him has covered every mother's son ascended the long portico of in it with glory. Big Bethel is Broadfields.

"Matter!" cried the convivial Colonel, "Glorious matter child. tal hills! Eighteen hundred Confederates

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH.

Who is it knocking so loud at the gate,
This bitter night in the storm and flood?
My Lord, you have waited a day too late-
You cannot recall it with tears of blood!

Where is my darling? I've wandered wide
And my love and my longing I've striven to crush.

As well might I fetter the ocean's tide,

Or curb with a ribbon its mighty rush!