"HE UTTERED A LOUD SHRIEK, AND STRUGGLED WILDLY TO RAISE HIMSELF"

"SHE THREW HERSELF ON HER KNEES BY THE BEDSIDE AND SEIZED HIS HAND"

"MAURICE WALKED BACK UNTIL HE FOUND A GATE, ENTERED, AND WENT FORWARD AND OVERTOOK HER"

"I HAVE AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT LETTER TO SEND OFF"


PRINCE FORTUNATUS.

CHAPTER I.

A REHEARSAL.

When the curtain fell on the last act of "The Squire's Daughter," the comedy-opera that had taken all musical London by storm, a tall and elegant young English matron and her still taller brother rose from their places in the private box they had been occupying, and made ready to depart; and he had just assisted her to put on her long-skirted coat of rose-red plush when an attendant made his appearance.

"Mr. Moore's compliments, your ladyship, and will you please to step this way?"