. St. George smiled so perceptibly that Eloise added, throwing back
her head again,--

"Just as I _am_, Sir! But she has behaved very nicely for
several----Why, this is Mrs. Arles's whip! the one her husband gave her.
I knew it by the ivory vine-stem twining the ebony; and there are her
initials in the lovely gold chasing. I used to want it to play with,
when I was a little girl,--and she wouldn't let me have it, of course.
Pretty initials!"

"Yes," said Mr. St. George, coldly.

Eloise put it down. And then she stared at him forgetfully, and,
unthinkingly, with great disappointed eyes. Thereat Mr. St. George
laughed.

"Don't Russian women present the knout to their bridegrooms?" asked
Eloise then, mischievously.

But before he could have replied, she resumed,--

"Well, Sir, Hazel is very pretty"----

"It is Hazel, then? Would you like her to be made more distinctly yours,
Miss Eloise?"

"Oh, dear, no, Sir, thank you. That isn't it at all. Hazel is in love."

"Indeed!"

"She is in love with Vane, a boy of Mr. Marlboro's: you may have seen
him; he is here a good deal,--by stealth: and they want to be married.
But Mr. Marlboro' is their terror, he may put an end to everything, and
they are afraid, and--and--could you buy Vane, Mr. St. George?"

"I could, Miss Changarnier."

"And you will, then?" cried Eloise, springing up.

"If Mr. Marlboro' will sell him."

"Won't he?"

"It is a pride of the Marlboro's that there never was a hand sold off
the place."

"Oh, I had forgotten. They would tell too shocking stories."

"Not here. Not unless they were sold off the Cuban plantation, where the
vicious ones are transported."

"But perhaps he would give him to you."

"Miss Eloise, he would give him to _you_."

"Me? I have never seen him."

"That is of no consequence. He has seen you."

"I wonder where. Do you really suppose that Mr. Marlboro' would give
Vane to me?"

"Miss Eloise, I will see what I can do about it first."

"How kind you are! Thank you!"

And Eloise was about to go.

"One moment, if you please," said the other.

And Mr. St. George remained in meditation. When he spoke, it was not in
too assured a tone.

"I am quite aware," said he, "that you consider me in the light of an
enemy. Perhaps it is a magnanimity that would be pleasant to you, should
you in turn grant that enemy a favor."

"I should like to be able to serve you, Sir."

"Well, then,--I spoke very unwisely a few moment