."

A moment afterward, she appeared before them smiling, and said: "There
was no occasion for being so frightened, but I am getting nervous with
all this flurry. Come back again, dears. It is only Franz Blumenthal."

"What, come again?" asked Rosa. "Please go, Floracita, and I will come
directly, as soon as I have gathered up these things that we must
carry."

The young German blushed like a girl as he offered two bouquets, one
of heaths and orange-buds, the other of orange-blossoms and fragrant
geraniums; saying as he did so, "I have taken the liberty to bring
some flowers, Miss Floracita."

"My name is Miss Royal, sir," she replied, trying to increase her
stature to the utmost. It was an unusual caprice in one whose nature
was so childlike and playful; but the recent knowledge that she was a
slave had made her, for the first time, jealous of her dignity. She
took it into her head that he knew the humiliating fact, and presumed
upon it.

But the good lad was as yet unconscious of this new trouble, and the
unexpected rebuke greatly surprised him. Though her slight figure and
juvenile face made her attempt at majesty somewhat comic, it was quite
sufficient to intimidate the bashful youth; and he answered, very
meekly: "Pardon me, Miss Royal. Floracita is such a very pretty name,
and I have always liked it so much, that I spoke it before I thought."

The compliment disarmed her at once; and with one of her winning
smiles, and a quick little courtesy, she said: "Do you think it's a
pretty name? You _may_ call me Floracita, if you like it so much."

"I think it is the prettiest name in the world," replied he. "I used
to like to hear your mother say it. She said everything so sweetly! Do
you remember she used to call me Florimond when I was a little boy,
because, she said, my face was so florid? Now I always write my name
Franz Florimond Blumenthal, in memory of her."

"I will always call you Florimond, just as Mamita did," said she.

Their very juvenile _tete-a-tete_ was interrupted by the entrance of
Madame with Rosa, who thanked him graciously for her portion of the
flowers, and told him her father was so much attached to him that she
should always think of him as a brother.

He blushed crimson as he thanked her, and went away with a very warm
feeling at his heart, thinking Floracita a prettier name than ever,
and happily unconscious that he was parting from her.

He had not been gone long when the bell rang