each more vivid than before! Futile, indeed, might be Margrave's boasted
secret; but at least in that secret was hope. In recognized science I saw
only despair.

And at that thought all dread of this mysterious visitor vanished,--all
anxiety to question more of his attributes or his history. His life
itself became to me dear and precious. What if it should fail me in the
steps of the process, whatever that was, by which the life of my Lilian
might be saved!

The shades of evening were now closing in. I remembered that I had left
Margrave without even food for many hours. I stole round to the back of
the house, filled a basket with elements more generous than those of the
former day; extracted fresh drugs from my stores, and, thus laden, hurried
back to the hut. I found Margrave in the room below, seated on his
mysterious coffer, leaning his face on his hand. When I entered, he
looked up, and said,--

"You have neglected me. My strength is waning. Give me more of the
cordial, for we have work before us to-night, and I need support."

He took for granted my assent to his wild experiment; and he was right.

I administered the cordial. I placed food before him, and this time he
did not eat with repugnance. I poured out wine, and he drank it
sparingly, but with ready compliance, saying, "In perfect health, I looked
upon wine as poison; now it is like a foretaste of the glorious elixir."

After he had thus recruited himself, he seemed to acquire an energy that
startlingly contrasted his languor the day before; the effort of breathing