"'Mr. Johnson,' says the chief, 'a Southern vessel arrived to-day at the same wharf where the steamer lies. Did you observe a tall gentlemen with a young lady on his arm, leave that vessel?' "'Dark hair; large eyes; a black coat?' says the man, looking at me. "'Exactly,' says I. "'The lady beautiful; eyes you could hardly tell the color of; lashes always down; black silk dress; cashmere scarf; cottage-bonnet!' says he, again. "'Jist so!' says I. "'Yes,' says he to the chief, 'I saw them.' "'Where did they go?' questions the chief. "'Hack No. 117 took three fares from the vessel and steamer, one to the City Hall, one to the New York, one to the Astor. This was the second, he went to the Astor.'" "And the young girl--did she go with him?" cried the lady, striving in vain to conceal the keen interest which prompted the question. "That was just what the chief asked," was the reply. "And the answer--was she with him?" "Wal, the chief put that question, only a little steadier; and the man answered that the young lady----" "Well." "That the coachman first took the young lady to a house in--I believe it was Ninth street, or Tenth, or----" "No matter, so she was not with him," answered the lady, drawing a deep breath, while an expression of exquisite relief, came to her features; "and he is there alone at the Astor House. And I in the same city! Does nothing tell him?--has his heart no voice that clamors as mine does? The Astor House! Jacob, how far is the Astor House from this?" "More than a mile--two miles. I don't exactly know how far it is." "A mile, perhaps two, and that is all that divides us. Oh! God, would that it were all!" she cried, suddenly clasping her hands with a burst of wild agony. The servant man recoiled as he witnessed this burst of passion, wherefore it were difficult to say; for he remained silent, and the twilight had gathered fast and deep in the room. For several minutes no word was spoken between the two persons so unlike in looks, in mind, in station, and yet linked together by a bond of sympathy strong enough to sweep off these inequalities into the dust. At length the lady lifted her head, and looked at the man almost beseechingly through the twilight. The storm was still fierce. The wind shook and tore through the foliage of the trees; and the rain swept by in sheets, now and then torn with lightning, and shaken with loud bursts of thunder. "The weather is terrible!" said the lady, with a sad, winning smile, and with her beautiful eyes bent upon the man. He thought that she was terrified by the lightning, and this brought his kind nature back again. "This--oh! this is nothing, madam. Think of the storms we used to have in the Alps, and at sea." A beautiful brilliancy came into the lady's eyes. "True, this is nothing compared to them: and the evening, it is not yet entirely dark!"