The physician had spoken only too truly.

The hardest blows of fate had brought her--the proud daughter of a noble father--to a course of cruel humiliations.

The life of a friendless though not penniless relation, taken into a wealthy house out of charity, had proved a thorny path to tread, but now-since the day before yesterday--all was changed.

Orion had come.

His home and the city had held high festival on his return, as at some gift of Fortune, in which she too had a goodly share.