their wonder
had been aroused when the short skirts of Louise had made visible
those superfine articles. The pieces of stocking, needless to say,
were captured as souvenirs and for many a day shown to the scoffers of
neighboring plantations, who doubted the wild tales of luxury ascribed
to the foreign magnate whose servants were even dressed like sure
enough ladies.

"We must bandage it to keep down the swelling," said Judithe, working
deftly as she spoke; "it happened once in New Orleans--this, and
though painful, is not really serious, but she is so eager to commence
the refurnishing of the yacht that she laments even a day's delay."

Louise did not speak again--only showed by a look her comprehension of
the statement, and bore patiently the binding of the ankle.

It was three days before she could move about the room with help of a
cane, and during those days of feverish anxiety her mistress had an
opportunity to observe the very pointed and musical interest Pluto
showed in the invalid whose language he could not speak. He was
seldom out of hearing or her call and was plainly disturbed when word
came from Loringwood that the folks would all be over in a few days.
He even ventured to ask Evilena if Mr. Loring's eyesight hadn't failed
some since his long sickness, and was well satisfied, apparently, by
an affirmative reply. He even went so far as to give Louise a slight
warning, which she repeated to her mistress one day after the Judge
and Delaven had called, and Louise had promptly gone to bed and to
sleep, professing herself too well now for a doctor's attention.

"Pluto is either trying to lay a trap for me to see if I do know
English, or else he is better informed than we guess--which it is, I
cannot say, Marquise," she confided, nervously. "When he heard his
mistress say I was to start Thursday, he watched his chance and
whispered: 'Go Wednesday--don't wait till visitors come, go
Wednesday.'"

"Visitors?--then he means the Lorings, they are to be here Thursday,"
and Judithe closed the book she had been reading, and looked
thoughtfully out of the window. Louise was moving about the room with
the aid of a cane, glancing at her mistress now and then and waiting
to hear her opinion.

"I believe I would take his advice, Louise," she said at last. "I have
not noticed the man much beyond the fact that he has been wonderfully
attentive to your wants. What do you think of him--or of his
motives?"

"I believe th