shiver through his heart, while he stood before her.

"You are very beautiful to-night Alice," he presently said, with a
suddenness which took even her alertness by surprise. A flush rose
to his dark face and immediately gave way to a grayish pallor. His
heart came near stopping on the instant, he was so shocked by his
own daring; but he laid a hand on her hair, stroking it softly.

Just a moment she was at a loss, looking a trifle embarrassed,
then with a merry laugh she stepped aside and said:

"That sounds better, Monsieur Rene de Ronville much better; you
will be as polite as Father Beret after a little more training."

She slipped past him while speaking and made her way back again to
the main room, whence she called to him:

"Come here, I've something to show you."

He obeyed, a sheepish trace on his countenance betraying his self-
consciousness.

When he came near Alice she was taking from its buckhorn hook on
the wall a rapier, one of a beautiful pair hanging side by side.

"Papa Roussillon gave me these," she said with great animation.
"He bought them of an Indian who had kept them a long time; where
he came across them he would not tell; but look how beautiful! Did
you ever see anything so fine?"