sy lips to the mother's breast. "How
pretty it is! Will you permit me to offer it its baptismal dress?"

"Its baptismal dress?" repeated the mother.

"Oh, Madame!" ejaculated the father, twisting his cap between his
fingers.

"Or a cloak, just as you please," added Marsa.

The poor people on the barge made no reply, but looked at one another in
bewilderment.

"Is it a little girl?" asked the Tzigana.

"No, Madame, no," responded the mother. "A boy."

"Come here, jean," said Marsa to the oldest child. "Yes, come here, my
little man."

Jean came forward, glancing askance at his mother, as if to know whether
he should obey.

"Here, jean," said the young girl, "this is for your baby brother."

And into the little joined hands of the boy, Marsa let fall a purse,
through whose meshes shone yellow pieces of gold.

The people of the barge thought they were dreaming, and stood
open-mouthed in amazement, while Jean cried out:

"Mamma, see, mamma! Mamma! Mamma!"

Then the younger bargeman said to Marsa:

"Madame, no, no! we can not accept. It is too much. You are too good.
Give it back, Jean."

"It is true, Madame," faltered his wife. "It is impossible. It is too
much."

"You will cause me great pain if you refuse to accept it," said Marsa.
"Chance has brought us together for a moment, and I am superstitious. I
would like to have the little children pray that those I love--that the
one I love may be happy." And she turned her eyes upon Prince Andras, who
had returned to the deck, and was coming toward her.

The lock was now opened.

"All aboard!" shouted the captain of the steamer.

The poor woman upon the barge tried to reach the hand of Marsa to kiss
it.

"May you be happy, Madame, and thank you with all our hearts for your
goodness to both big and little."

The two bargemen bowed low in great emotion, and the whole bevy of little
ones blew kisses to the beautiful lady in the black dress, whom the
steamer was already bearing away.

"At least tell us your name, Madame," cried the father. "Your name, that
we may never forget you."

A lovely smile appeared on Marsa's lips, and, in almost melancholy
accents, she said:

"My name!" Then, after a pause, proudly: "The Tzigana!"

The musicians, as she spoke, suddenly struck up one of the Hungarian
airs. Then, as in a flying vision, the poor bargemen saw the steamer move
farther and farther away, a long plume of smoke waving behind it.

Jacquemin, heari