Her Last Stake, Chapters I-V [pp. 815-839]

1894.] HER LAST STAKE. 833
the old town. And now, when I have made you comfortable,
may I leave you again for a few minutes?"
And soon she was knocking at the door of Miss Faltoner's
room.
By this time, it should be said, Marion Falconer had sufficiently recovered strength to be able to put on her walking
things each morning, and creep slowly down-stairs and out into the bright, warm sunshine. Sister Gabrielle had managed to
disinfect her room, and she was only deterred from taking her
place with the rest of the world down-stairs by the dread of
receiving her sentence of dismissal from the landlord. So that
on this still, warm and sunny afternoon Sister Gabrielle was not
surprised to find her standing before the tall gilt mirror over
the mantel-piece arranging her bonnet and veil to go out.
"I have come to redeem my rosary-by bringing you another," said the nun, smiling brightly as she entered; "you will
not mind my giving you one, will you? For as I have not seen
one among your possessions I fancy you must have lost yours."
"I have indeed lost it-many years since," replied Miss Falconer, with a wan little smile, as she turned from the glass and
took the sister's two outstretched hands in hers with a sort of
grave tenderness with which she now always received her. "You
are very good to think of it-and of me, as you do."
"It is a poor, commonplace little one," said the former speaker;
".only for your use until you have a better one." And she
placed a small red rosary in the other's palm.
"Red! Rouge gagne!" exclaimed Miss Falconer, almost
gaily, as she took it. "Is it an omen-may I take it so, I
wonder?" Then, seeing the shocked look on Sister Gabrielle's
face: "Oh! I horrify you, I know, dear sister. I cannot help
it; all my thoughts turn one way! Will it please you better
if I tell you that I actually used your rosary last night?"
"Yes indeed, I am glad. But do not let me keep you now;
you are going out."
A shade fell over the transient brightness of Marion Falconer's face as these words recalled her to herself. "Yes, I am
going out," she said, "and you will not like to hear where!"
"Tell me."
"In the first place, the sentence has been pronounced; the
landlord informed me this morning that I must leave to-morrow."
"Oh!" gasped Sister Gabrielle, "what will you do?"
"I am going to try one last chance one last throw for
fortune."