ty of sorrow. She was not to be married--she
was to be sold. The circumstances of that old betrothal had never
been explained to her; but she knew that money was in some way
connected with it, and that she was virtually bought and sold like a
slave, without any will of her own. Such bitter thoughts as these
filled her mind as she sat there by her father's side.

Presently her father spoke again. "Have you any dresses, Zillah?"

"Plenty, papa."

"Oh, but I mean a wedding-dress--a fine new dress; white satin my
darling wore; how beautiful she looked! and a veil you must have, and
plenty of jewels--pearls and diamonds. My pet will be a lovely
bride."

Every one of these words was a stab, and Zillah was dumb; but her
father noticed nothing, of this. It was madness, but, like many cases
of madness, it was very coherent.

"Send for your ayah, dear," he continued; "I must talk to her--about
your wedding-dress."

Zillah rang the bell. As soon as the woman appeared the General
turned to her with his usual feverish manner.

"Nurse," said he, "Miss Pomeroy is to be married at once. You must
see--that she has every thing prepared--suitably--and of the very
best."

The ayah stood speechless with amazement. This feeling was increased
when Zillah said, in a cold monotone:

"Don't look surprised, nurse. It's quite true. I am to be married
within a day or two."

Her master's absurdities the ayah could account for on the ground of
delirium; but was "Little Missy" mad too? Perhaps sorrow had turned
her brain, she thought. At any rate, it would be best to humor them.

"Missy had a white silk down from London last week, Sir."

"Not satin? A wedding-dress should be of satin," said the General.

"It does not matter, so that it is all white," said the nurse, with
decision.

"Doesn't it? Very well," said the General. "But she must have a veil,
nurse, and plenty of jewels. She must look like my darling. You
remember, nurse, how she looked."

"Indeed I do, sahib, and you may leave all to me. I will see that
Missy is as fine and grand as any of them."

The ayah began already to feel excited, and to fall in with this wild
proposal. The very mention of dress had excited her Indian love of
finery.

"That is right," said the General; "attend to it all. Spare no
expense. Don't you go, my child," he continued, as Zillah rose and
walked shudderingly to the window. "I think I can sleep, now that my
mind is at ease. Stay by me, my d