vice, instead of hot, and hasty, romantic nonsense. Which
ought you to respect most--folly or reason--from the same lips?"

Henry seemed to reflect. "That sounds reasonable," said he: "but, when
you advised me not to show the white feather, you spoke your heart; now,
you are only talking from your head. Then, your beautiful eyes flashed
fire, and your soul was in your words: who could resist them? And you
spoke to me like a friend; now you speak to me like an enemy."

"Oh, Mr. Little, that is ridiculous."

"You do, though. And I'm sure I don't know why."

"Nor I. Perhaps because I am cross with myself; certainly not with you."

"I am glad of that. Well, then, the long and the short is, you showed me
you thought it cowardly to fly from the Trades. You wouldn't, said you,
if you were a man. Well, I'm a man; and I'll do as you would do in my
place. I'll not throw my life away, I'll meet craft with craft, and
force with force; but fly I never will. I'll fight while I've a leg to
stand on."

With these words he began to work on the bust, in a quiet dogged way
that was, nevertheless, sufficiently expressive.

Grace looked at him silently for half a minute, and then rose from her
chair.

"Then," said she, "I must go for somebody of more authority than I am."
She sailed out of the room.

Henry asked Jael who she was gone for.

"It will be her papa," said Jael.

"As if I care for what he says."

"I wouldn't show HER that, if I was you," said Jael, quietly, but with a
good deal of weight.

"You are right," said Henry. "You are a good girl. I don't know which
is the best, you or Martha. I say, I promised to go to Cairnhope some
Sunday, and see them all. Shall I drive you over?"

"And bring me back at night?"

"If you like. I must come back."

"I'll ask Miss Carden."

The words were quiet and composed, but the blushing face beamed with
unreasonable happiness; and Grace, who entered at that moment with her
father, was quite struck with its eloquence; she half started, but
took no further notice just then. "There, papa," said she, "this is Mr.
Little."

Mr. Carden was a tall gentleman, with somewhat iron features, but a fine
head of gray hair; rather an imposing personage; not the least
pompous though; quite a man of the world, and took a business view of
everything, matrimony, of course, included.

"Oh, this is Mr. Little, is it, whose work we all admire so much?"

"Yes, papa."

"And whose adventure has