"Forgive me, dear sister," he said, in a tone of mingled anger and
grief, "that I have destroyed that =precious= manuscript," laying an
emphasis on the word precious; "but oh, Ella, Ella, is it possible that
such fearful intelligence can be true? It almost seems," he added, in a
tone of anguish and despair, "that heaven could not permit one so
young, so lovely, to perish in such a heart-rending manner,"--he stopped
abruptly,--and Ella was spared replying by a gentle tap at the door.

"Come in," she said in a low, faint voice, and, in compliance with the
invitation, an elderly American lady, who was on a visit to some friends
that resided opposite, and with whom Ella had become quite intimate
during her sojourn in the place, entered the apartment.

"I have been wanting so much to see you, my dear child," she said,
affectionately, "and have been looking for you all the morning, and
finding you did not make your appearance, concluded to come in search of
you. But what is the matter," said she, pausing, and glancing first at
Ella, and then at her brother, "I trust you have not heard any bad
news?"

"We have, indeed, dear Madam," replied Arthur, with an effort to control
his voice, "the loss of a very dear friend,"--here the tones visibly
faltered,--"by the burning of a vessel at sea, and the subsequent
upsetting of a boat, in which some of the passengers were endeavoring to
make their escape."

"That is indeed very, very sad news," said the old lady, affectionately
clasping Ella's hand, "and I, my friends, can sympathize with you, for
five years ago to-day, my son, my darling son, the pride of my heart,