It was Miriam’s voice!  It was Miriam wandering in night and storm in search of her beloved nurse.

Marian dropped Thurston’s arm and plunged blindly forward through the snow, in the direction of the voice, crying, “Here I am, my darling, my treasure—­here I am.  What brought my baby out this bitter night?” she asked, as she found the child half perishing with cold and wet, and caught and strained her to her bosom.

“Oh, the hail and snow came down so fast, and the wind shook the house so hard, and I could not sleep in the warm bed while you were out in the storm.  So I stole softly down to find you.  Don’t go again, Marian.  I love you so—­oh!  I love you so!”

At this moment the child caught sight of Thurston standing with his face half muffled in his cloak.  A figure to be strangely recognized under similar circumstances in after years.  Then she did not know him, but inquired: 

“Who is that, Marian?”

“A friend, dear, who came home with me.  Good-night, sir.”

And so dismissing Thurston, he walked rapidly away.  She hurried with Miriam to the house.

CHAPTER XXI.

ONE OF SANS SOUCI’S TRICKS.

Sans Souci stood before the parlor mirror, gazing into it, seeing—­not the reflected image of her own elfish figure, or pretty, witching face, with its round, polished forehead, its mocking eyes, its sunny, dancing curls, its piquant little nose, or petulant little lips—­but contemplating, as through a magic glass, far down the vista of her childhood—­childhood scarcely past, yet in its strong contrast to the present, seeming so distant, dim, and unreal, that her reminiscence of its days resembled more a vague dream of a pre-existence, than a rational recollection of a part of her actual life on earth.  Poor Jacko was wondering “If I be I?”

Grim sat in a leathern chair, at the farthest extremity of the room, occupied with holding a book, but reading Jacquelina.  Suddenly he broke into her brown study by exclaiming: 

“I should like to know what you are doing, and how long you intend to remain standing before that glass.”

“Oh, indeed! should you?” mocked Jacko, startled out of her reverie, yet instantly remembering to be provoking.

“What were you doing, and—­”

“Looking at myself in the glass, to be sure.”

“Don’t cut off my question, if you please.  I was going on to inquire of what you were thinking so profoundly.  And madam, or miss—­”

“Madam, if you please! the dear knows, I paid heavy enough for my new dignity, and don’t intend to abate one degree of it.  So if you call me miss again, I’ll get some one who loves me to call you ‘out!’ Besides, I’d have you to know, I’m very proud of it.  Ain’t you, too?  Say, Grim! ain’t you a proud and happy man to be married?” asked Jacko, tauntingly.

“You jibe!  You do so with a purpose.  But it shall not avail you.  I demand to know the subject of your thoughts as you stood before that mirror.”