himself by altering his pose two or three times in rapid succession,
finally collapsed, and, with an air of mingled pain and dignity, but
without losing his ceremonious politeness or unique vocabulary, said:--

"Yo' got me dah, sah! Yo' got me dah! De infirmities o' human
natcheh, sah, is de common p'operty ob man, and a gemplum like yo'self,
sah, a legislato' and a pow'ful speakah, is de lass one to hol' it agin
de individal pusson. I confess, sah, de circumstances was propiskuous,
de fees fahly good, and de risks inferior. De gemplum who kept de shop
was an artess hisself, and had been niggah to Kernel Henderson of
Tennessee, and do gemplum I relieved was a Mr. Johnson. But de Kernel,
he wouldn't see it in dat light, sah, and if yo' don' mind, sah"--

"I haven't the slightest idea of telling the colonel or anybody,
George," said Paul, smiling; "and I am glad to find on your own account
that you are able to put aside any work beyond your duty here."

"Thank yo', sah. If yo' 'll let me introduce yo' to de refreshment,
yo' 'll find it all right now. De Glencoe is dah. De Kernel will be
here soon, but he would be pow'ful mo'tified, sah, if yo' didn't hab
something afo' he come." He opened a well-filled sideboard as he
spoke. It was the first evidence Paul had seen of the colonel's
restored fortunes. He would willingly have contented himself with this
mere outward manifestation, but in his desire to soothe the ruffled
dignity of the old man he consented to partake of a small glass of
spirits. George at once became radiant and communicative. "De Kernel
bin gone to Santa Clara to see de young lady dat's finished her
edercation dah--de Kernel's only ward, sah. She's one o' dose
million-heiresses and highly connected, sah, wid de old Mexican
Gobbermen, I understand. And I reckon dey's bin big goin's on doun
dar, foh de Mayer kem hisself fo' de Kernel. Looks like des might bin
a proceshon, sah. Yo' don' know of a young lady bin hab a title, sah?
I won't be shuah, his Honah de Mayer or de Kernel didn't say someting
about a 'Donna'."

"Very likely," said Paul, turning away with a faint smile. So it was
already in the air! Setting aside the old negro's characteristic
exaggeration, there had already been some conversation between the
colonel and the Mayor, which George had vaguely overheard. He might be
too late, the alternative might be no longer in his hands. But his
discomposure was heightened a moment l