s
hair, the fanatic fire of his deep set eye.

"I have sometimes done so," he smiled. "Is there anything in which
I can be of service?"

"Time is short," was her answer. "Let us get at once to the point.
I am planning to go into the work long carried on by that
weak-minded Colonization Society; but on certain lines of my own."

"Explain, Countess!"

"It is my belief that we should deport the blacks from this
country. Very well, I am willing to devote certain moneys and
certain energies to that purpose. Granted I found it advisable and
could obtain proper support, I might perhaps not return to Hungary
for a time."

"Kammerer!" broke in Carlisle suddenly, "Listen! Do you hear?
It's what we've said! It is precisely what you yourself have
always said."

"That iss it!--that iss it!" exclaimed the young German. "The
colonization--remoof them from this country to another, where they
shall be by themselves. That only iss wise, yess. Elsewise must
great war come--else must this Union be lost! Ah, Madam; ah,
Madam! How great your heart, your mind. I kiss your hand."

"Listen!" she interrupted. "There are about three and one-third
millions of them now. Say they are worth, old and young, large and
little, one thousand dollars a head--monstrous thing, to put a
price upon a human head, but suppose it. It would amount to but a
few billions of dollars. What would a war cost between these two
sections? Perhaps a million dollars a day! How much cheaper could
these slaves be purchased and deported from these shores! Their
owners regard them as property. The laws protect that belief. The
Constitution establishes the laws. There is no peaceful way to end
the turmoil, save by the purchase of these people. That is a
solution. It will prevent a war. Let them be sent away to a place
where they belong, rather than here."

"My dear Countess," said Carlisle, "you are, as usual, brilliant.
Your imagination vaults--your daring is splendid. But as usual you
are visionary and impractical. Buy them? To do this would require
the credit of a nation! It would be subversive of all peace and
all industry. You do not realize the sums required. You do not
realize how vast are the complications."

She stepped closer to him in her eagerness.

"All it needs is money, and management. A start, and the country
will follow. Mr. Fillmore himself was about to recommend it, in
his last message. Let me furnish the money, a