“She was insane. But let me tell you the story: “They were two beautiful young girls down South--let me see--yes, Memphis, Tennessee--and they loved each other devotedly and with such excess that Alice, the elder girl, declared she meant to marry the beautiful Freda that she loved so well. They wrote each other impassioned love-letters, and Alice was jealous of every one that admired her schoolmate, pretty Freda. The affair went on until Freda’s friends began to disapprove of it, and tried to break off the romantic, girlish intimacy. They parted them, and Alice almost went mad with despair. When she heard that Freda’s friends were going to remove her from the city she could not bear it. One day Alice was riding out in a buggy with Lillie, another friend of hers, and they saw Freda on the street with her sister and some friends. “‘Let me get out one moment. I wish to bid Freda farewell,’ said Alice coolly. “It all happened in a minute. Alice ran after Freda, threw her arms around her neck, drew back the lovely head, and in an instant had cut her friend’s throat. Freda fell dead on the pavement, and Alice flew back to the buggy and sprang in as coolly as if nothing had happened.” “Horrible!” shuddered Emmett. But the girls sat still, pallid, and with dilated eyes. “Only think of it, she murdered her dearest friend, the girl she loved to madness!” cried Ralph. “But she was insane. At the trial she was proved insane, and the _World_ tells here that she has been placed in a lunatic asylum for life. But how pale you ladies look! I ought not to have told you this awful story, especially after Italy’s shock last night. It is too much for her nerves----Italy!” He ran to her assistance, for her face had whitened to the hue of death, and she was slipping inertly from her chair down to the floor. Italy had indeed fainted, but it was not so much from the shock of hearing of that strange tragedy as from the awful and startling suspicion it had put into her mind. Mrs. Severn quickly brought restoratives, and presently the young girl sat up, looking about with dazed, wondering eyes, while Ralph murmured contritely: “Forgive me for telling that tragic story. I had forgotten that you were nervous from last night.” A light of remembrance leaped into her eyes, and she faltered: “You were very kind--that is, it was very interesting. I should like to read it in the papers, please.” In some surprise, he placed it in her hand. “I must return to mama now, I think,” she murmured, and hurried from the room. Mrs. Vale was still sleeping calmly and sweetly, and Italy turned from the bed with wild excitement.