grew red as he spoke.

"But why is money such a wonder thing that only some saleable article
shall count against it? I lack hospitality to entertain the thought."

"Would you take it of me?"

"I? Yes. I took my life of you--a poor thing, but mine own."

"I think you had small choice in the matter," laughed Rene.

"_Der Teufel!_ Very little. Let it be a loan, if you will. Come, now.
You make me unhappy. I lend you five hundred _livres_--a hundred dollars
we call it here. You pay, when you can."

De Courval hesitated. Was there not something ignoble in refusing a
kindness thus offered? Schmidt laughed as he added: "Reverse it. Put it
in this fashion: good master of my fate, let me drown. I would owe no
coin of life to any. To end it, I put to-night in this left-hand drawer
money. Use it freely. Leave a receipt each time, if you like."

"I am so little used to kindness," said De Courval, wavering.

"I know," returned Schmidt--"bittersweet to some men, but should not be
to the more noble nature."

"No, no, not to me. I take it and gladly, but"--and once more he
colored, as he said with a certain shyness--"would you mind calling me
Rene? I--I should like it."

"And I, too," said the German, as he put a hand of familiar kindliness
on the younger man's knee. "Now that is settled, and you have done me
another favor. I have an errand at Germantown, and shall join you at
Miss Wynne's at four to-morrow. Are there any ships come in? No? There
will be, I fear, evil news from France, and storms, storms that will
roll across the sea and beat, too, on these shores. It will stir here
some foolish echoes, some feeble mockery of what over there cries
murder." De Courval had had too much reason to believe him. "Ach, I am
sleepy. Shall you go to see your mother on Sunday? There is my mare at
your service."

Yes, he had meant to walk, but he would be glad of the horse.

When, on Saturday, Mrs. Swanwick knew that Schmidt had gone to the
country, she said Margaret would walk with the vicomte, and show him
the way. He felt a fresh surprise, a little embarrassment. Young women
were not thus free in France; but as he was the only one thus amazed, he
set out with the Pearl in some wonderment at what his mother would have
said or thought.

They walked up Front Street, and at last along Fifth. She was now, as
Schmidt had said, the other Margaret of whom De Courval had had brief
knowledge at times. A frank, natural, gay good humor was