y Brayne, the brave and cheery commander of the
frigate, caught sight of me, and, rising hastily, led me to a seat at
his own right hand.

(I do recollect that I wore a new gown of fine blue cloth--a soft and
tender colour, that became me well.)

As I took my place I glanced shyly round, and saw, at the farther end of
the long table, the gallantest gentleman I had ever set eyes upon in all
my sixteen years of life. He was looking directly at me, and presently
he lifted his glass and said:

"Captain Brayne, I give you _the Carolina and every treasure she
contains_!"

There was some laughter as the toast was drunk, and my uncle--who had
only that moment entered and taken his seat beside me--asked of me an
explanation.

"Nay, Dr. Scrivener," said the jovial captain, "'tis not likely the
little lady was attending. But now I give you--_the health of Mistress
Tudor!_ (and it will not be the first time it has been proposed
to-night!)"

And that was but a year ago. I would never have guessed that at
seventeen I could feel so very old.

CHAPTER XII.

San Augustin's Day--August, the 28th.

Oh! but I have been angered this day!

What? when my betrothed lies in prison, ill, perhaps, or fretting his
brave heart away, am I to be dragged forth to make part of a pageant for
the entertainment of his jailers? I would sooner have the lowest cell in
the dungeon--aye! and starve and stifle for lack of food and air, than
be forced to deck myself out in borrowed bravery, and sit mowing and
smiling in a gay pavilion, and clap hands in transport over the fine
cavalier airs of the man I hold most in abhorrence!

Do they take me for so vapid a little fool that I may be compelled to
any course they choose? Nay, then, they have learned a lesson. Oh, but
it is good to be in a fair rage for once!

I had grown so weary and sick at heart that the blood crawled sluggishly
in my veins; my eyes were dull and heavy; I had sat listlessly, with
idle hands, day after day, waiting--waiting for I knew not what!
Therefore it was that I had no will or courage to oppose the Governor's
wife when she came to me this morning and bade me wear the gown she
brought, and pin a flower in my hair, and sit with her in the Governor's
pavilion to see the fine parade go by.

"This is a great day in San Augustin," she said, "being the
one-hundred-and-fifth anniversary of its founding by the Spanish."

As the captives of olden times made part of the tr