Suddenly she heard a strange choking sound, and glanced up in alarm to see her brother lying back in his chair, his face purple, his breath coming in excited gasps. She jumped up and hurried to his side, gasping: “Oh, what is it, Edmund? Are you ill?” foreboding an apoplectic seizure. Judge Van Lew struggled for speech, then blurted out, thickly: “Read!” Then she saw that he still clutched the newspaper in his hand, and snatching it wildly, she saw what had shocked him so--the sensational announcement of Viola’s elopement. Mrs. Herman dropped heavily into a chair, almost fainting with the shock, and just then Eliza returned. “I have knocked and knocked--and rattled and pounded--but she does not hear me! I’m afraid she must be dead, sir!” she exclaimed, fearfully. The stricken man held up his hand, and muttered, harshly: “Go!” She retreated in alarm, leaving the door wide open in her dismay, and the next moment her voice echoed back to them from the hall in tones of glad surprise: “Oh, Miss Viola, so you went out for an early walk, did you? Well, that is a splendid way to brighten your color for the wedding! But why did you lock the door? You have given us all such a fright!” Viola pushed past her without a word, and hurried into the dining-room. When she saw the two elderly people in the shocking state caused by the news of her elopement, it made her heart ache with tenderness and pity. She rushed to them, crying wildly, imploringly: “Oh, papa!--oh, auntie! don’t look so wretched, please! I want you both to forgive me!” She flung her arms about her father and covered his purple, distorted face with piteous kisses, the tears raining from her eyes. “Papa, darling, won’t you forgive your naughty Viola?” For answer he pushed her violently from him with all the strength he could exert in his weakened state. She caught the back of a chair, or she must have fallen. “Papa!” she gasped, reproachfully. Judge Van Lew staggered up to his feet, his anger helping him to get the better of his weakness. He thundered, angrily: “How dare you darken my doors again, you wicked girl, after what you have done?” Mrs. Herman clutched his arm imploringly, but he shook her off in a rage, repeating: “How dared you return, I say?” “To--to--beg you to forgive me, papa,” faltered the pallid bride, fearfully. “Forgive you--never! You have broken a good man’s heart by your accursed fickleness, and disgraced me forever, and I will disown and disinherit you, leaving you nothing but an outraged father’s curse on my death-bed!” stormed Judge Van Lew, in a fury that was dangerous to his life, so purple grew his face, while the knotted veins stood out like whip-cords on his brow. Viola’s own quick temper blazed up at his charges, her pale cheeks flamed, and the tears dried up in her eyes as she answered, spiritedly: