one of her most devoted friends; Judge Lawrence one of her most
earnest, if silent admirers. As "Baroness Brown" and as the landlady
of "The Palace" she had still maintained her position as friend of
the family, and the Lawrences, secure in their wealth and power, had
allowed her to do so, where some of the lower social lights had
dropped her from their visiting lists.

The Baroness seemed to exercise a sort of hypnotic power over the
fretful, nervous invalid who shared Judge Lawrence's name, and this
influence was not wholly lost upon the Judge himself, who never
looked upon the Baroness's abundant charms, glowing with health,
without giving vent to a profound sigh like some hungry child
standing before a confectioner's window.

The news of Mrs Lawrence's dangerous illness was voiced about the
town by noon, and therefore the Baroness felt safe in calling at the
door to make inquiries, and to offer any assistance which she might
be able to render. Knowing her intimate relations with the mistress
of the house, the servant admitted her to the parlour and announced
her presence to Judge Lawrence, who left the bedside of the invalid
to tell the caller in person that Mrs Lawrence had fallen into a
peaceful slumber, and that slight hopes were entertained of her
possible recovery. Scarcely had the words passed his lips, however,
when the nurse in attendance hurriedly called him. "Mrs Lawrence is
dead!" she cried. "She breathed only twice after you left the room."

The Baroness, shocked and startled, rose to go, feeling that her
presence longer would be an intrusion.

"Do not go," cried the Judge in tones of distress. "Mabel is nearly