shadow, she waited for him to go forward with the
business which had brought him hither.

"Madam," he went on, "my dear Countess, I could but overhear you
refer to my own name. If it has any reputation in your eyes, let
that plead as my excuse for intruding in this manner. Believe me,
nothing would induce me to take such a step except business of
importance."

"It is, then, of business?" Her voice, as he noted once more, was
clear and full, her enunciation without provincial slur, clean and
highbred.

"I hope something not wholly outside your liking."

"Of course I do not understand." She sat still looking at him
full, her hands, clasping her little fan, a trifle raised.

"Then let me hasten to make all plain. I am aware of a part of
your history and of a part of your plans, Madam; I am not unaware
of certain ambitions of your own--I am forced to be so frank in
these conditions. You are interested in the cause of Hungary."

"Place it wider, Sir," she said. "In humanity!"

"Hence you have come to America to carry forward certain of your
plans. Even now you have undertaken the greatest and most daring
work of altruism this country ever knew."

She made no answer but to smile at him, a wide and half lazy smile,
disclosing her white and even teeth. The jewels in her dark hair
glistened as she nodded slightly. Emboldened, he went on:

"And you find all things at a deadlock in Washington to-day.
Humanity is placed away in linen on the shelf in America, to-day.
Dust must not filter through the protection of this mighty
compromise which our two great parties have accomplished! We must
not talk of principles, must not stir sedition, at this time. Whig
and Democrat must tiptoe, both of them, nor wake this sleeping dog
of slavery. Only a few, Madam, only a few, have the hardihood to
assert their beliefs. Only a few venture to cast defiance even to
the dictum of Webster himself. He says to us that conscience
should not be above the law. I say to you, Madam, that conscience
should be the only law."

"Are you for freedom, Sir?" she asked slowly. "Are you for
humanity?"

"Madam, as I hope reward, I am! Those of us who dare say so much
are few in numbers to-day. We are so few, my dear lady, that we
belong together. All of us who have influence--and that I trust
may be said of both of us, who now meet for the first time--we are
so few that I, a stranger to you, though not, I trust, wholly
unrecommende