frame, her face expressed the genuine pity that she felt, and her
voice was beautifully tender as she promised to restore the stolen
treasure.

Lucy felt comforted without knowing why, and the piece went smoothly
on to its last scene. Peg was just relinquishing the repentant
husband to his forgiving wife with those brave words of hers, when a
rending sound above their heads made all look up and start back; all
but Lucy, who stood bewildered. Christie's quick eye saw the
impending danger, and with a sudden spring she caught her friend
from it. It was only a second's work, but it cost her much; for in
the act, down crashed one of the mechanical contrivances used in a
late spectacle, and in its fall stretched Christie stunned and
senseless on the stage.

A swift uprising filled the house with tumult; a crowd of actors
hurried forward, and the panic-stricken audience caught glimpses of
poor Peg lying mute and pallid in Mabel's arms, while Vane wrung his
hands, and Triplet audibly demanded, "Why the devil somebody didn't
go for a doctor?"

Then a brilliant view of Mount Parnassus, with Apollo and the Nine
Muses in full blast, shut the scene from sight, and soon Mr. Sharp
appeared to ask their patience till the after-piece was ready, for
Miss Douglas was too much injured to appear again. And with an
unwonted expression of feeling, the little man alluded to "the
generous act which perhaps had changed the comedy to a tragedy and
robbed the beneficiary of her well-earned reward at their hands."

All had seen the impulsive spring toward, not from, the danger, and