"Now," said Harry, returning to his seat, and putting on an air of
confidence to conceal the lack of it, "let any one who has nerves retire
at once, both for his own sake and that of the company! This is just such
a night as I wanted to read my story in--snow--stillness--moonlight
outside, and nothing but firelight inside. Mind, Ralph, you keep up the
fire, for the room will be more ready to get cold now the coverings are
off the windows.--You will say at once if you feel it cold, Miss
Cathcart?"

Adela promised; and Harry, who had his manuscript gummed together in a
continuous roll, so that he might not have to turn over any leaves, began
at once:

"THE CRUEL PAINTER.

"Among the young men assembled at the University of Prague, in the year
159--, was one called Karl von Wolkenlicht. A somewhat careless student,
he yet held a fair position in the estimation of both professors and men,
because he could hardly look at a proposition without understanding it.
Where such proposition, however, had to do with anything relating to the
deeper insights of the nature, he was quite content that, for him, it
should remain a proposition; which, however, he laid up in one of his
mental cabinets, and was ready to reproduce at a moment's notice. This
mental agility was more than matched by the corresponding corporeal
excellence, and both aided in producing results in which his remarkable
strength was equally apparent. In all games depending upon the combination
of muscle and skill, he had scarce rivalry enough to keep him in practice.
His strength, however, was embodied in such a softness of muscular
outline, such a rare Greek-like style of beauty, and associated with such