"What! why! You don't mean that there is anything there--that Tower is
paying attention to--"

"_Madre divina_, how that seems to interest you, and how red you are! If it
were not that you never met her before, and that your acquaintance did not
seem to make rapid progress, then I should say you are in love with her
yourself."

I had to laugh at this, but felt my face flushing more. "And so," said I,
affecting a careless and indifferent tone, "the gay Fred Power is smitten
at last!"

"Was it so very difficult a thing to accomplish?" said she, slyly.

"He seems to say so, at least. And the lady, how does she appear to receive
his attentions?"

"Oh, I should say with evident pleasure and satisfaction, as all girls do
the advances of men they don't care for, nor intend to care for."

"Indeed," said I, slowly, "indeed, Senhora?" looking into her eyes as I
spoke, as if to read if the lesson were destined for my benefit.

"There, don't stare so!--every one knows that."

"So you don't think, then, that Lucy,--I mean Miss Dashwood--Why are you
laughing so?"

"How can I help it; your calling her Lucy is so good, I wish she heard it;
she's the very proudest girl I ever knew."

"But to come back; you really think she does not care for him?"

"Not more than for you; and I may be pardoned for the simile, having seen
your meeting. But let me give you the news of our own _fete_. Saturday is
the day fixed; and you must be quite well,--I insist upon it. Miss Dashwood
has promised to come,--no small concession; for after all she has never
once been here since the day you frightened her. I can't help laughing at
my blunder,--the two people I had promised myself should fall desperately
in love with each other, and who will scarcely meet."

"But I trusted," said I, pettishly, "that you were not disposed to resign
your own interest in me?"

"Neither was I," said she, with an easy smile, "except that I have so many
admirers. I might even spare to my friends; though after all I should be
sorry to lose you, I like you."

"Yes," said I half bitterly, "as girls do those they never intend to care
for; is it not so?"

"Perhaps, yes, and perhaps--But is it going to rain? How provoking! and I
have ordered my horse. Well, Signor Carlos, I leave you to your delightful
newspaper, and all the magnificent descriptions of battles and sieges and
skirmishes of which you seem doomed to pine without ceasing. There, don't
kiss my hand twice