so young and dainty, he turned
and surveyed her for a moment with quick surprise. Something in her
aspect struck him. He answered at once and without circumlocution. "Yes,
if you refer to that spry keen-faced man, just entering the
supper-room."

"Do you know his companion?" she proceeded; "the portly, highly
pompous-looking gentleman with the gold eye-glasses? Look quickly."

"No." There was an uneasiness in his tone however that struck her
painfully.

"He is a stranger in town; has not the honor of your acquaintance he
says, but from the questions he asked, I judge he has a great interest
in your affairs. He spoke of being connected with mines in Colorado. I
was sitting behind a curtain and overheard what was said."

Mr. Sylvester turned pale and regarded her attentively. "Might I be so
bold," he inquired after a moment, "as to ask you what that was?"

"Yes, sir, certainly, but it is even harder for me to repeat than it was
for me to hear. He inquired about your domestic concerns, your home and
your income," she murmured blushing; "and then said, in what I thought
was a somewhat exulting tone, that in two months or so we should see you
go South for your health or--Is not that enough for me to tell you, Mr.
Sylvester?"

He gave her a short stare, opened his lips as if to speak, then turned
abruptly aside and began picking mechanically at the blossoms before
him.

"I, of course, do not know what men mean when they talk of possessing
points. But the leer and side glance which accompanies such talk, have a
universal language we all understand, and I felt that I must warn you of
that man's malice if only because papa regards you so highly."

He shrank as if touched on a sore place, but bowed and answered the
wistful appeal of her glance with a shadow of his usual smile, then he
turned, and looking towards the door through which the two men had
disappeared, made a movement as if he would follow. But remembering
himself, escorted her to a seat, saying as he did so:

"You are very kind, Miss Stuyvesant; please say nothing of this to
Paula."

She bowed and a flitting smile crossed her upturned countenance. "I am
not much of a gossip, Mr. Sylvester, or I should have been tempted to
have carried my information to my father instead of to you."

He understood the implied promise in this remark and gave the hand on
his arm a quick pressure, before relinquishing her to the care of the
pale-complexioned youth who by th