ld duties.'

"'I really want to see her, pretty creature,' Mrs. Harrington said,
glancing over portions of the letter again.

"'I feel quite lost without her caprices and bad temper--besides, she
always knows exactly what is to be done for me, and does it in the best
way.'

"'Only, thanks to Miss Mabel's kindness, you have not had time to miss
her,' the General said.

"'Oh, there never was such a nurse as Mabel,' cried she, 'but then I
can't quite make a servant of her, willing as she is to sacrifice
herself to my whims.'

"'I scarcely thought you regarded the girl Zillah quite as a servant,'
said James, speaking for the first time. There was something so bitter
in his voice, that I wondered they did not notice it.

"'Indeed I do not,' Mrs. Harrington replied. 'She is faithful and
loving, and so handsome that it is like having some exotic flower about
me.'

"'Mrs. Harrington never forgets what is due herself or others, James,
whether they may be dependent or friends,' the General said, in a more
reproving tone than I ever before heard him employ towards his wife's
son.

"Again James' dark eyes flashed upon him that strange look of anger and
defiance.

"'May I see the letter, mother?' he asked, quickly.

"'Certainly,' Mrs. Harrington said, stretching out her hand over the
back of the sofa.

"As James took the letter, the General said--

"'Zillah is not likely to have any important secrets to write to your
mother.'

"I might--perhaps it was fancy, caused by the suspicion that was in my
own mind--but I thought he slightly emphasized the words 'your mother.'
No, I am sure it was not fancy, for James' lips shut together in the
compressed way they did when he was angry, and a frown gathered on his
forehead--he had caught the peculiar tone as I did."

CHAPTER XLIX.

THE GENERAL PROPOSES A TRIP TO CADIZ.

"While James was reading the letter, the General said to his wife--

"'I find that I shall be obliged to go back to Cadiz, so I will bring
Zillah home.'

"James crumpled the letter in his hand, and called out in so loud and
agitated a voice that Mrs. Harrington absolutely started--

"'I will go back for Zillah, mother.'

"The General turned a little in his chair, glanced at me, then regarded
James--his eyebrows slightly raised with an expression of surprise.

"'Upon my word,' said he, pleasantly as ever, 'I scarcely see the
necessity for your playing _preux chevalier_ in this case, James.'