XIV.—PAINFUL CONSEQUENCES 138 XV.—ALARMING OCCURRENCE 150 XVI.—DISAPPEARANCE OF MADELINE 158 XVII.—THE SEARCH 165 XVIII.—A NEST OF PSEUDO-SPIRITUALISTS 189 XIX.—THE BIRD AND THE SERPENT 204 XX.—THE RESCUE 215 XXI.—THE ARREST 223 XXII.—BREAKING THE SPELL 236 XXIII.—THE ANGEL STRONGER THAN THE DEMON 245 XXIV.—AN UNEXPECTED REVELATION 269 XXV.—A REVELATION 278 XXVI.—REVIEWING THE MATTER 287 XXVII.—GETTING RIGHT 298 XXVIII.—CONCLUSION 304 THE ANGEL AND THE DEMON. CHAPTER I. THE YOUNG GOVERNESS. Mrs. Dainty’s health was poor, and her nerves delicate. It was no use, she said: the wear and tear of body and mind were more than she could stand. She must have a governess for the children. Mr. Dainty never opposed his wife in any thing, and so replied,— “Very well, Madeline. Find your governess.” But Uncle John—Uncle Johns, by-the-way, if they happen to be on the mother’s side, and old bachelors at that, are proverbially inclined to interfere with the home-management of their nieces—had, as usual, a word to say after he was alone with Mrs. Dainty. “Don’t have any thing of the kind,” said he. “Be governess to your own children.” “But I’m not equal to the task. It will kill me. See how thin and pale I am getting; and my nerves are in a terrible condition.” “No wonder.” “Why?” “Dissipation will destroy any woman’s nerves.” “Dissipation! Why, Uncle John!” “How many nights were you out last week?” “Only three.” “Only three! and each time until long after midnight. Dancing, late hours, hot suppers, and confectionery! No wonder your nerves are shattered! Such a life would kill me up in half a year.” “Well, in my case, it is all that keeps me going. These social recreations, coming at intervals upon the enervating cares of domestic life, give new vitality to the exhausted system.” “Filigree and nonsense!” replied Uncle John, impatiently. “You know better than to talk after this fashion.” And so, for the time, the debate closed between them.