you! I have broken haughtier
spirits than yours in my life. Would you know how?"

"Yes," said Cap, indifferently, still busied with her bracelets.

"Stoop and I will whisper the mystery."

Capitola bent her graceful head to hear.

"With the rod!" hissed Old Hurricane, maliciously.

Capitola sprang up as if she had been shot, wave after wave of blood
tiding up in burning blushes over neck, face and forehead; then, turning
abruptly, she walked off to the window.

Old Hurricane, terrified at the effect of his rude, rash words, stood
excommunicating himself for having been provoked to use them; nor was
the next aspect of Capitola one calculated to reassure his perturbed
feelings.

She turned around. Her face was as white as marble, excepting her
glittering eyes; they, half sheathed under their long lashes, flashed
like stilettoes. Raising her hand and keeping her eyes fixed upon him,
with a slow and gliding motion, and the deep and measured voice that
scarcely seemed to belong to a denizen of earth, she approached and
stood before him and spoke these words:

"Uncle, in all the sorrows, shames and sufferings of my destitute
childhood, no one ever dishonored my person with a blow; and if ever you
should have the misfortune to forget your manhood so far as to strike
me--" She paused, drew her breath hard between her set teeth, grew a
shade whiter, while her dark eyes dilated until a white ring flamed
around the iris.

"Oh, you perilous witch! what then!" cried Old Hurricane, in dismay.

"Why, then," said Capitola, speaking in a low, deep and measured tone,
and keeping her gaze upon his astonished face, "the--first--time--I--
should--find--you--asleep--I--would--take--a--razor--and----"

"Cut my throat! I feel you would, you terrible termagant!" shuddered Old
Hurricane.

"Shave your beard off smick, smack, smoove!" said Cap, bounding off and
laughing merrily as she ran out of the room.

In an instant she came bounding back, saying, "Uncle, I will meet you at
the fair; _au revoir, au revoir_!" and, kissing her hand, she dashed
away and ran off to her room.

"She'll kill me; I know she will. If she don't do it one way she will in
another. Whew! I'm perspiring at every pore. Wool! Wool, you scoundrel!"
exclaimed the old man, jerking the bell-rope as if he would have broken
the wires.

"Yes, sir; here I am, marse," exclaimed that worthy, hastening in in a
state of perturbation, for he dreaded another storm.

"