ey are good," said the girl, promptly. "He is dissatisfied; I
can see that--one of the insurrection sort who are always restless. He's
entirely bound up in the issue of the war, as regards his own people. He
suspects me and because he suspects me tries to warn me--to be my
friend. When I am gone you may need some one here, and of all I see he
is the one to be most trusted, though, perhaps, Dr. Delaven--"

"Is out of the question," and Judithe's decision was emphatic. "These
people are his friends."

"They are yours, too, Marquise," said the girl, smiling a little; but
no smile answered her, a slight shade of annoyance--a tiny frown--bent
the dark brows.

"Yes, I remember that sometimes, but I possess an antidote," she
replied, lightly. "You know--or perhaps you do not know--that it is
counted a virtue in a Gypsy to deceive a Georgio--well, I am fancying
myself a Gypsy. In the Mohammedan it is a virtue to deceive the
Christian, and I am a Mohammedan for the moment. In the Christian it
was counted for centuries a mark of special grace if he despoil the
Jew, until generations of oppression showed the wanderer the real God
held sacred by his foes--money, my child, which he proceeded to garner
that he might purchase the privileges of other races. So, with my
Jewish name as a foundation, I have created an imaginary Jewish
ancestor whose wrongs I take up against the people of a Christian
land; I add all this debt to the debt Africa owes this enlightened
nation, and I shall help to pay it."

The eyes of Louise widened at this fantastical reason. She was often
puzzled to determine whether the Marquise was entirely serious, or
only amusing herself with wild fancies when she touched on pondrous
questions with gay mockery.

Just now she laughed as she read dismay in the maid's face.

"Oh, it is quite true, Louise, it _is_ a Christian land--and more, it
is the most Christian portion of a Christian land, because the South
is entirely orthodox; only in the North will you find a majority of
skeptics, atheists, and agnostics. Though they may be scarcely
conscious of it themselves, it is because of their independent
heterodox tendencies that they are marching today by thousands to war
against a slavery not their own--the most righteous motive for a war
in the world's history; but it cannot be denied that they are making
war against an eminently Christian institution." And she smiled across
at Louise, whose philosophy did not exten