lustily, and shrieked out, "My eyes, what a beauty!"

Rugge, meanwhile, one hand thrust in his bosom, contemplated the
diplomatic efforts of his ministers, and saw, by Sophy's compressed lips
and unwinking eyes, that their cajoleries were unsuccessful. He
approached and hissed into her ear, "Don't madden me! don't! you will
act, eh?"

"No," said Sophy, suddenly rising; and tearing the wreath from her hair,
she set her small foot on it with force. "No, not if you kill me!"

"Gods!" faltered Rugge. "And the sum I have paid! I am diddled! Who
has gone for Mrs. Crane?"

"Tom," said the clown.

The word was scarcely out of the clown's mouth ere Mrs. Crane herself
emerged from a side scene, and, putting off her bonnet, laid both hands
on the child's shoulders, and looked her in the face without speaking.
The child as firmly returned the gaze. Give that child a martyr's cause,
and in that frail body there would have been a martyr's soul. Arabella
Crane, not inexperienced in children, recognized a power of will stronger
than the power of brute force, in that tranquillity of eye, the spark of
calm light in its tender blue, blue, pure as the sky; light, steadfast as
the star.

"Leave her to me, all of you," said Mrs. Crane. "I will take her to your
private room, Mr. Rugge;" and she led the child away to a sort of recess,
room it could not be rightly called, fenced round with boxes and crates,
and containing the manager's desk and two stools.