"Mayor Shaughness'--yez-a; was there; boat-a," with a disparaging smile
and shake of the head, "_he_ woon-a come-a to you. Senor, oh' no."

The old man smiled bitterly.

"_Non?_" he asked.

"Oh, no, Senor!" Mazaro drew his chair closer. "Senor;" he paused,--"eez
a-vary bath-a fore-a you thaughter, eh?"

"W'at?" asked the host, snapping like a tormented dog.

"D-theze talkin' 'bou'," answered the young man; "d-theze coffee-howces
noth a goo' plaze-a fore hore, eh?"

The Irishman and the maiden looked into each other's eyes an instant, as
people will do when listening; but Pauline's immediately fell, and when
Mazaro's words were understood, her blushes became visible even by
moonlight.

"He's r-right!" emphatically whispered Galahad.

She attempted to draw back a step, but found herself against the
shelves. M. D'Hemecourt had not answered. Mazaro spoke again.

"Boat-a you canno' help-a, eh? I know, 'out-a she gettin' marry, eh?"

Pauline trembled. Her father summoned all his force and rose as if to
ask his questioner to leave him; but the handsome Cuban motioned him
down with a gesture that seemed to beg for only a moment more.