“Will you obey me?” hisses the serpent at her side. “Is it yes?”

Her eyes, wild with horror, meet his; she sinks into a seat.

“Yes!” she gasps, in a feeble whisper.

“Very well. Remember!”

With a look of triumph upon his evil face, Gilbert Warrington leaps through the open window and disappears.

Violet staggers slowly to the door and unlocks it; then she falls to the floor in a swoon.

[Pg 41]

[Pg 41]

CHAPTER V.

Leonard Yorke threw open the door of the library and rushed into the room, Hilda following closely. His eyes fell at once upon the huddled heap upon the floor. A moment later he was kneeling beside the prostrate form, clasping the poor girl in his arms.

“Violet! Violet!” he cried, eagerly, anxiously, “open your eyes and let me hear you speak! Oh, Hilda, she is dead!”

Hilda Rutledge made an impatient gesture.

“Nonsense! She has only fainted. Go and send mamma here, we will attend to her.”

Leonard left the room, and Hilda bent over Violet and began to rub her hands and bathe her temples. In one hand, clasped tightly between the cold little fingers, was the crumpled letter which had nearly broken Violet’s heart. Hilda’s eyes scintillated.

“Ha! there is some mystery here!” she muttered. “I must see the contents of that letter!”

But she could not remove it from Violet’s grasp; and even while she was endeavoring to do so, the girl opened her eyes. A fearful shudder passed over her.

“Where is he?” she faltered, brokenly.

[Pg 42]

[Pg 42]

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