nk himself resisted the temptation for half an hour after the music
began, but at length he made his way across the street and stationed
himself at the window opening upon the back piazza. When Rena was in
the room, he had eyes for her only, but when she was absent, he fixed
his attention mainly upon Wain. With jealous clairvoyance he observed
that Wain's eyes followed Rena when she left the room, and lit up when
she returned. Frank had heard that Rena was going away with this man,
and he watched Wain closely, liking him less the longer he looked at
him. To his fancy, Wain's style and skill were affectation, his
good-nature mere hypocrisy, and his glance at Rena the eye of the hawk
upon his quarry. He had heard that Wain was unmarried, and he could
not see how, this being so, he could help wishing Rena for a wife.
Frank would have been content to see her marry a white man, who would
have raised her to a plane worthy of her merits. In this man's shifty
eye he read the liar--his wealth and standing were probably as false as
his seeming good-humor.

"Is that you, Frank?" said a soft voice near at hand.

He looked up with a joyful thrill. Rena was peering intently at him,
as if trying to distinguish his features in the darkness. It was a
bright moonlight night, but Frank stood in the shadow of the piazza.

"Yas 'm, it's me, Miss Rena. Yo' mammy said I could come over an' see
you-all dance. You ain' be'n out on de flo' at all, ter-night."

"No, Frank, I don't care for dancing. I shall not dance to-night."

This answer was pleasing to Frank. If he could not hope to dance with
her, at least the men inside--at least this snake in the grass from
down the country--should not have that privilege.

"But you must have some supper, Frank," said Rena. "I'll bring it
myself."

"No, Miss Rena, I don' keer fer nothin'--I did n' come over ter
eat--r'al'y I didn't."

"Nonsense, Frank, there's plenty of it. I have no appetite, and you
shall have my portion."

She brought him a slice of cake and a glass of eggnog. When Mis'
Molly, a minute later, came out upon the piazza, Frank left the yard
and walked down the street toward the old canal. Rena had spoken
softly to him; she had fed him with her own dainty hands. He might
never hope that she would see in him anything but a friend; but he
loved her, and he would watch over her and protect her, wherever she
might be. He did not believe that she would ever marry the gr