“Oh, how I love him,” the girl murmured, resting her dimpled cheek against her pink palms. “It seems as though I had only just commenced to live to-day. He ought to be here soon now. He said he would come on the morrow, and then----” Her thoughts were rudely interrupted by the entrance of Queenie, who came direct to the window where she sat, and laid a white hand lightly on the girl’s arm. “You are come to tell that he--my husband--is here!” cried Jess, tremulously, her face flushing with unconcealed delight. Queenie bent over and raised the dimpled chin in her hand, looking searchingly down into the fair, happy young face, and then she answered, slowly: “I wish to Heaven I could tell you so, my poor dear.” “Why, what can you mean, Queenie?” cried Jess, springing to her feet, a premonition of coming evil rushing over her heart. “Can you bear a great shock, my love?” murmured Queenie, in a low voice, tightening her hold of the girl’s arm. “Are you brave enough to hear something that will be a great blow, a great sorrow to you?” Jess looked at her in affright. Her two little hands clutch at Queenie’s skirts, while her eyes, like two burning flames, seem to devour the face of the false friend. “If it is something about my--husband, tell me quick!” she breathes hoarsely, “for the suspense is killing me.” “I would to Heaven that it was not my lot to break the pitiful news to you, Jess, but perhaps I can do it better than any one else.” “Yes, yes; go on, go on. I am sure it is something about my husband,” whispers Jess in intense excitement. Queenie nods, and clasps the two ice-cold hands of Jess in her own, while she prepares to utter the death-warrant to the girl standing so innocent and so helpless before her--at her mercy. “Little Jess, I pity you with all my heart,” she begins, “and my heart bleeds for you. I cannot keep the truth back from you an instant longer. Something has happened to your husband.” “He is hurt!” shrieked Jess, wildly, clutching at her heart as she gulps out the choking words. “He met with an accident as he was leaving here, and he is--dead!” whispers Queenie. The words have scarcely left her lips ere Jess falls like a log at her feet. Dead! Queenie thinks at first, but as she bends over her, she finds to her disappointment that is but a swoon. For a moment she stands gazing down at her evil work with a fiendish smile curling her lips. “This is the first step I have taken in the plot to part this girl most effectually from the man I love, and have set myself to win,” she muttered in a hard voice, adding: “Why should I not? For he loves me--not her.” She hears the maid’s step along the corridor, and hurries to the door to intercept her. “The same gentleman who called yesterday,” thought the maid under her breath, as she presented Mr. John Dinsmore’s card to her mistress, saying aloud: “The gentleman asked to see Miss Jess.”