who had overheard Calvert's last words, "d'Azay promised to introduce
Mr. Calvert to you as an American savage!"

"Indeed, my brother spoke to me on the subject," returned Madame de St.
Andre, laughing outright at the recollection (and if each word she spoke
was like the sound of a silver bell, her laugh was like a whole chime of
them). "I had looked for something quite different," she went on, in a
mock-disappointed tone, and with an amused glance at Beaufort. "Perhaps
paint and feathers and a--a--what is the name, Monsieur? a--tomahawk to
kill with! Ah! Monsieur"--here she sighed in a delightfully droll way
and swept Calvert a courtesy--"as an American you are a great
disappointment!"

"I am inexpressibly grieved to be the cause of any disappointment to
you, Madame," replied Calvert, calmly. "But as for paint and feathers,
surely they can be no novelties to you," and here he looked meaningly
around at the bedaubed, bedecked ladies of fashion (though 'tis but fair
to say that the young beauty before him disdained the use of furbelows
or cosmetics, as well she might with such a brilliant complexion); "and
as for tomahawks--the ladies of this country need no more deadly weapons
than their own bright glances. But truly, Madame, did you expect to see
a young savage?"

"I was hoping to," she said, demurely. "'Twould have been more
interesting than--than--" And here she stopped as if in seeming
embarrassment and loss for words. "Is not America full of them?" she
asked, innocently.

"Assuredly, Madame, as you must know, since they have so often been your
allies!"

As Calvert spoke, all the amusement and good-nature died out of Madame
de St. Andre's face, and she resumed her mask, becoming again the
haughty and distant young beauty.

"But 'tis not an uncivilized land by any means," went on Calvert, who
was young and ardent enough to espouse warmly the cause of his country
from even the badinage of a spoilt young girl. "There is much learning
and the most gracious manners to be found there, as you must also know,
since we have been able to spare two such shining examples of both to
this court--Dr. Franklin and Mr. Jefferson."

"Monsieur does not mean to compare the civilization of his own country
to that of ours?" contemptuously demanded St. Aulaire, who, up to that
time, had stood superciliously by, taking no part in the conversation.

"Indeed, no!" returned Calvert, with suspicious promptness. "In my mind
there can