her good looks, and her lady-like airs,
till she forgets who she is;--and I'll give her one lesson that will
bring her down, I fancy!"

"But, Cousin, consider that, if you destroy delicacy and a sense of
shame in a young girl, you deprave her very fast."

"Delicacy!" said Marie, with a scornful laugh,--"a fine word for such
as she! I'll teach her, with all her airs, that she's no better than the
raggedest black wench that walks the streets! She'll take no more airs
with me!"

"You will answer to God for such cruelty!" said Miss Ophelia, with
energy.

"Cruelty,--I'd like to know what the cruelty is! I wrote orders for only
fifteen lashes, and told him to put them on lightly. I'm sure there's no
cruelty there!"

"No cruelty!" said Miss Ophelia. "I'm sure any girl might rather be
killed outright!"

"It might seem so to anybody with your feeling; but all these creatures
get used to it; it's the only way they can be kept in order. Once let
them feel that they are to take any airs about delicacy, and all that,
and they'll run all over you, just as my servants always have. I've
begun now to bring them under; and I'll have them all to know that
I'll send one out to be whipped, as soon as another, if they don't mind
themselves!" said Marie, looking around her decidedly.

Jane hung her head and cowered at this, for she felt as if it was
particularly directed to her. Miss Ophelia sat for a moment, as if she
had swallowed some explosive mixture, and were ready to burst. Then,
recollecting the utter uselessness of contention with such a nature,
she shut her lips resolutely, gathered herself up, and walked out of the
room.

It was hard to go back and tell Rosa that she could do nothing for
her; and, shortly after, one of the man-servants came to say that her
mistress had ordered him to take Rosa with him to the whipping-house,
whither she was hurried, in spite of her tears and entreaties.

A few days after, Tom was standing musing by the balconies, when he was
joined by Adolph, who, since the death of his master, had been entirely
crest-fallen and disconsolate. Adolph knew that he had always been an
object of dislike to Marie; but while his master lived he had paid but
little attention to it. Now that he was gone, he had moved about in
daily dread and trembling, not knowing what might befall him next. Marie
had held several consultations with her lawyer; after communicating with
St. Clare's brother, it was determined to