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THE CASKET
THUS passed the entire day. Rosalie suffered cruelly with thirst.
"Ought I not suffer even more than I do?" she said to herself, "in order to punish me for all I have made my father and my cousin endure? I will await in this terrible spot the dawning of my fifteenth birthday."
The night was falling when an old woman who was passing by, approached and said:—
"My beautiful child, will you oblige me by taking care of this casket, which is very heavy to carry, while I go a short distance to see one of my relations?"
"Willingly, madam," replied Rosalie, who was very obliging. The old woman placed the casket in her hands, saying:—
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