THE PROUD "LADYE." 231 



company ever reached his destined port. But whether a storm 

 had swept the ocean or whether she had gone down at sea 

 when " skies were bright and tempests hushed," no one lived 

 to tell. The sea kept its secret and the dead buried their dead 

 in silence. 



Isabel had never appeared so brilliantly gay as she did after 

 the tidings of Wilhelm's departure had reached her. Her 

 presence graced every festival, and never before had she decked 

 herself so richly with the gems and gold befitting her wealth 

 and station. Her whole nature seemed changed, and the cold 

 concentrated woman, who had heretofore walked calmly in the 

 light of her own loveliness, seemed suddenly to have imbibed 

 the joyous spirit of a ball-room belle. Yet there were those 

 who fancied they saw a troubled light gleaming in her proud 

 eyes, and a speaking paleness settling on her rounded cheek. 



One evening she was presiding at a brilliant party in her 

 own magnificent dwelling, and well did she play the part of 

 mistress of the fete. Never had she looked lovelier, for her 

 costly robe of rose-colored brocade, embroidered in silver 

 flowers, set off to advantage her stately figure, while the rich 

 white plumes in her dark hair swayed lightly with every grace- 

 ful motion of the dance. No one would have dreamed that 

 aught but joy had ever dwelt within her heart, as with smiles 

 on her lip, she acted the graceful and considerate hostess. 



The night had waned, and the liveried slaves were wearied 

 with bearing the ponderous trays of refreshments through the 



