with silver. The dainty breakfast, served on French porcelain, was
slowly eaten, and still Gerald returned not. She removed to the
chamber window, and, leaning her cheek on her hand, looked out upon
the sun-sparkle of the ocean. Her morning thought was the same with
which she had passed into slumber the previous night. How strange it
was that Gerald would take no notice of that enchanting voice! The
incident that seemed to her a charming novelty had, she knew not why,
cast a shadow over the first evening in their bridal home.




CHAPTER XII.


Mr. Fitzgerald had ordered his horse to be saddled at an earlier hour
than Tom had ever known him to ride, except on a hunting excursion,
and in his own mind he concluded that his master would be asleep at
the hour he had indicated. Before he stretched himself on the floor
for the night, he expressed this opinion to the cook by saying, "Yer
know, Dinah, white folks is allers mighty wide awake de night afore
dey gits up."

To his surprise, however, Mr. Fitzgerald made his appearance at the
stable just as he was beginning to comb the horse. "You lazy black
rascal," he exclaimed, "didn't I order you to have the horse ready by
this time?"

"Yes, Massa," replied Tom, sheering out of the way of the upraised
whip; "but it peers like Massa's watch be leetle bit faster dan de sun