ve appeared to Captain B--, for
after a little hesitation he granted it. Not with the best grace,
however. It evidently cost him a struggle; but interest prevailed, and
he granted it.

"I accept your conditions, madame. The boat shall _not_ run. I give
you my promise to that effect."

"_Assez_! thanks! Monsieur le Capitaine; I am greatly obliged to you.
If you will be so good as to have my freight taken aboard. The carriage
goes along. This gentleman is my steward. Here, Antoine! He will look
to everything. And now pray, Capitaine, when do you contemplate
starting?"

"In fifteen minutes, madame, at the latest."

"Are you sure of that, mon Capitaine?" she inquired, with a significant
laugh, which told she was no stranger to the want of punctuality of the
boats.

"Quite sure, madame," replied the Captain; "you may depend on the time."

"Ah! then, I shall go aboard at once!" And, so saying, she lightly
tripped down the steps of the barouche, and giving her arm to the
Captain, who had gallantly proffered himself, was conducted to the
ladies' cabin, and of course for a time lost to the admiring eyes, not
only of myself, but of a goodly number of others who had already been
attracted to gaze upon this beautiful apparition.

CHAPTER SIX.

ANTOINE THE STEWARD.

I had been very much struck by the appearance of this dame. Not so much
on account of her physical beauty--though that was of a rare kind--as by
the air that characterised her. I should feel a difficulty in
describing this, which consisted in a certain _braverie_ that bespoke
courage and self-possession. There was no coarseness of manner--only
the levity of a heart gay as summer, and light as gossamer, but capable,
when occasion required, of exhibiting a wonderful boldness and strength.
She was a woman that would be termed beautiful in any country; but with
her beauty there was combined elegance, both in dress and manner, that
told you at once she was a lady accustomed to society and the world.
And this, although still young--she certainly could not have been much
over twenty. Louisiana has a precocious climate, however; and a Creole
of twenty will count for an Englishwoman of ten years older.

Was she married? I could not bring myself to think so; besides the
expressions, "my plantation" and "my steward," would scarcely have been
used by a lady who had "somebody" at home, unless, indeed, that somebody
were held in very low estimation--in