Mr. Sheldrake, amazed at the fierceness in the girl's voice, bit his lip and obeyed her. If he had put his thoughts into words, he would have said, "You little tiger-cat, I will pay you for this!" Lily drew Lizzie to the back of the box, out of sight of the audience, whose attention had been aroused by the bustle. "That pretty girl has fainted," said some; "did you see how white she turned before the piece was over?" The rising of the people in the pit prevented Felix from seeing what had occurred; but he had noticed Lily's pallor and the horrible fascination which the drama had for her. He had resolved upon his line of action, and now he hurried out of the theatre, and engaged a cab. "I want you," he said to the cabman, "to follow a party that I shall point out to you, who will either walk or ride, and to follow them in such a manner as not to be observed. If you succeed in this, double fare." The cabman knew a gentleman, that is, a man whose money was sure, when he saw him, and he raised his whip to his hat, and said, "All right, sir, I'm awake;" and drew his cab to a convenient spot. CHAPTER XXXIII. LIZZIE DEEMS IT NECESSARY TO CALL CUNNING TO HER AID. The first thing Lily saw when she recovered consciousness was Lizzie's face bending down to hers. In that instant Lizzie began to act: as all women do upon every possible occasion. If those who enlist in the ranks of the drama would but act on the stage as they act off it, there would be no talk of the decadence of dramatic art. Every trace of anxiety vanished from Lizzie's face as Lily's eyes looked into hers, and she smiled so brightly and nodded so encouragingly as to infuse strength into the heart of her friend. "Where am I, Lizzie?" "With friends, my dear. The theatre was so hot that I almost fainted myself." "Did I faint, then? How foolish of me!" A look of joy filled her eyes as they lighted on her brother. "O Alfred!" He knelt by her side, and she took his hand and retained it. By this time the theatre was fast being emptied. "I remember now what it was that overcame me. The horrible sight of that man dying!" She shuddered, and Lizzie said briskly, "Never mind; we're not going to think of that any more. It was only a piece of acting, after all. We'll go to see something more lively next time." And Lizzie nodded emphatically at Alfred, who answered, "Yes, we will. I didn't know what sort of a piece this was, or I shouldn't have brought you to see it." "But Mr. Sheldrake knew," remarked Lizzie, with a sharp glance in the direction of that gentleman. "I assure you I did not," was Mr. Sheldrake's reply. "You do me great injustice, and not for the first time to-night. I have too high a regard for Miss Lily to cause her pain. She knows that, I am sure; and so does Alfred." "I know it well," interposed Alfred eagerly; "and Lily knows it too. How can you be so unjust, Liz?"