your face for
a million," and with a profound bow by way of emphasizing his
compliment, the well-meaning Skinner went out to the group assembled
near Rocket while the lady returned to the upper chamber where Mrs.
Tiffton and Ellen were assembled.

Once Harney's voice, pitched in its blandest tone, was heard talking to
the ladies, and then Ellen stopped her ears, exclaiming passionately:

"I hate that man, I hate him. I almost wish that I could kill him."

"Hush, Ellen; remember! 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the
Lord,'" Alice whispered to the excited girl who answered hastily:

"Don't preach to me now. I'm too wretched. Wait till you lose everything
by one man's villainy, then see if you won't curse him."

There was an increased confusion in the yard below, and Alice knew the
sale was about to commence. The white-haired colonel kept watch while
one after another of his household goods were sold. Inferior articles
they were at first, and the crowd were not much disposed to bid, but all
were dear to the old man, who groaned each time an article was knocked
off, and so passed effectually from his possession.

The crowd grew weary at last--they must have brisker sport than that, if
they would keep warm in that chilly November wind, and cries for the
"horses" were heard.

"Your crack ones, too. I'm tired of this," growled Harney, and Ellen's
riding pony was led out. The colonel saw the playful animal, and
tottered to Ellen's chamber, saying:

"They're going to sell Beauty, Nell. Poor Nellie, don't cry," and the
old man laid his hand on his weeping daughter's head.

"Colonel Tiffton, this way please," and Alice spoke in a whisper. "I
want Beauty. Couldn't you bid for me, bid all you would be willing to
give if you were bidding for Ellen?"

The colonel looked at her in a kind of dazed, bewildered way, as if not
fully comprehending her, till she repeated her request; then
mechanically he went back to his post on the balcony, and just as
Harney's last bid was about to receive the final "gone," he raised it
twenty dollars, and ere Harney had time to recover his astonishment,
Beauty was disposed of, and the colonel's servant Ham led her in triumph
back to the stable.

With a fierce scowl of defiance Harney called for Rocket. Suspecting
something wrong the animal refused to come out, and planting his fore
feet firmly upon the floor of the stable, kept them all at bay. With a
fierce oath, the brutal Harney ga