He was really thirty-five years old, but looked ten years less, and was
a fair blonde, medium-sized and plump, with a round head covered with
light, curling yellow hair, a round, rosy face as bare as a baby's and
almost as innocent. He had not the satanic intellect of his father or
his brother, but he had a fine moral and spiritual nature that neither
could understand or appreciate.

There were yet two other exceptions to the family character of
worldliness and selfishness. There were Corona and Sylvanus Haught, a
sister and brother, orphan grand-children of Aaron Rockharrt, left him
by his deceased only daughter. Sylvanus, a fine, manly young fellow,
resembled his Uncle Clarence in person and in character, having the same
truthfulness, generosity and sincerity, but with a mocking spirit, which
turned evil into ridicule rather than into a subject of serious rebuke.
He was three years younger than his sister. Corona was a beautiful
brunette, tall, like all the Rockharrts, with a superbly developed form,
a fine head, adorned with a full suit of fine curly black hair, delicate
classic features, straight, low forehead, aquiline nose, a "Cupid's bow"
mouth, and finely curved chin. This was her wedding-day and she wore
her bridal dress of pure white satin, with veil of thread lace and
wreath of orange buds. Hers was the very triumph of a love match, for
she was about to wed one whom she had loved from earliest childhood, and
for whom she had waited long years.

Here was Corona Haught's great victory. She had seen his opponents, her
own family, bow down and worship her idol. Yet, at the culmination of
her triumph, on this her bridal day, why did she sit so pale and wan?

From her deep, sad reverie she was aroused by the entrance of her six