retched, and then receded, and
let her hand fall on the back of a chair, as her father yawned audibly.

"Of course there was danger, Annette; but that doesn't remove the fact
that I was a hot-headed idiot."

"You mustn't talk so. It is not polite to me. I am not going to marry an
idiot."

"But you've promised."

The young people laughed into each other's eyes.

"Frederick," said the young girl, after a little silence, during which
they drifted into the rigid plush embrace of a sofa, "I'm going up to
see that girl and thank her."

The young man leaned forward and caught her wrists.

"You--angel!"

"Yes, I'm going to-morrow. Of course you can't go."

"Oh, good Lord, no," groaned her lover.

"But papa can. There will be plenty of time; we don't leave until
evening. And in spite of what her father did, I feel kindly toward the
girl. There must be some good in her; she seemed to want to do you
justice. How does she look, Frederick?"

The soft-voiced inquisitor drew her wrists from the young fellow's
grasp, and flattened his palms between hers by way of an anaesthetic.

"Did you ever see her?"

"Oh, yes, once or twice. A lank, forlorn, little red-headed
thing,--rather pretty. Oh, my God, Annette!"

The girl raised the tips of his imprisoned fingers to her lips.

"Couldn't you send her something, Frederick, some little keepsake,
something she would like, if she would like anything that wasn't too
dreadful?"

The young fellow's face brightened.

"Annette, you _are_ an angel."

"No, I'm not; there are no brunette angels. I am a very practical young
woman, and I'm going with you to buy something for that poor girl; men
don't know how to buy things." She dropped her lover's hands, and went
out of the room, returning with her hat and gloves, and, going to her
father's side, she said: "Papa, Frederick and I are going out for
awhile. He wants to get a little present for a poor young girl, the
daughter of that awful wretch who--that--you know. It seems she saw it
all, and came down to say that Frederick was not to blame. Of course it
was unnecessary, for the judge and every one saw at once that he did
perfectly right; but it _was_ kind of her, and it was a _very_ hot day.
Do you mind staying here alone?--or you can go with us, if you like."

"No, thank you; I don't mind, and I don't like," said the elderly
gentleman dryly.

"And you'll not be lonely?"

"No, I think not; I've been getting acquainted with mys