Heaven have mercy upon us both! Andre, try and tear me out of your heart.

I have not even the right to die, and oh, my darling, this--this is the last word you will ever receive from your poor unhappy "SABINE." If M.de Breulh had insisted upon taking Andre home with him before he handed him the letter, it was because Modeste had given him some inkling of its contents.

He feared that the effect would be tremendous upon nerves so highly strung and sensitive as those of Andre.

But he need not have been alarmed on this point.

As the young painter mastered the contents of the letter his features became ghastly pale, and a shudder convulsed every nerve and muscle of his frame.