to remedy your error. Give it to me, and
return to France with the proud consciousness that you are worthy the
position you wish to occupy."

Hannibal shook his head with decision.

"That would be very well if I ever could be considered a man by the one
for whose opinion I care most. But while I am to her a creature
something below the ape, a mere crawling viper whose touch is pollution,
I will act like the thing she thinks me. To-day I possess the power to
make a high-born gentleman dance whenever I pull the string. You ask me
to give up this power, and in return you offer--nothing."

"One would suppose," remarked Daisy, struggling with herself in this
dilemma, "that the ability to inflict pain was one a true nature would
delight to surrender. My father has done no harm to you."

The negro bent toward her and spoke with vehemence.

"But his daughter has! She has made my life wretched. Whatever position
I may attain will be worthless to me, without the love I had hoped might
be mine."

"_Love!_" cried the girl, recoiling. "_Love!_"

"Love and marriage," he replied. "In France we could live without the
hateful prejudices that prevail in America. I have natural ability
enough, you have told me so a thousand times, and I could make myself
worthy of you. As my wife--"

Daisy rose and interrupted him fiercely.

"Cease!" she exclaimed. "There is a limit to what I can endure. If you
mean to make any promise of that kind a prelude to my father's freedom
from persecution, we may as well end this conversation now as later. He
would rather rot in prison than have his child sacrifice herself in such
a manner!"

She started toward the door, and he did not interrupt her passage, as
she half expected he would do; but he spoke again.

"All this because I am black," he said.

"Because you are a cruel, heartless wretch!" she answered, her eyes
flashing. "Because you have abused the goodwill of a generous family;
because you have tortured a kind old man and a loving daughter. If you
were as white as any person on earth, I would not marry you. Worse than
all outward semblance is a dark and vile mind. Do what you like! I defy
you!"

The door opened and closed behind her. Hannibal heard her retreating
footsteps grow fainter on the stairs, and then there was silence.

"I might have known it," he said, aloud. "I did know it, but I kept
hoping against hope. She would wed a Newfoundland dog sooner than me.
Nothing is left but