more account than his
oxen or his sheep--nor was the owner of a village shop of any more
consequence in my lord's eyes.

He came here because there was a good-looking Jewess in the tap-room
whose conversation amused him, and whose dark, velvety eyes, fringed
with long lashes, and mouth with full, red lips, stirred his jaded
senses in a more pleasant and more decided way than did the eyes and
lips of the demure, well-bred young Countesses and Baronesses who formed
his usual social circle.

Whether his flirtation with Klara, the Jewess, annoyed the girl's Jew
lover or not, did not matter to him one jot; on the contrary the
jealousy of that dirty lout Hirsch enhanced his amusement to a
considerable extent.

Therefore he did not take the trouble to lower his voice now when he
talked to Klara, and it was quite openly that he put his arm round her
waist while he held his glass to her lips--"To sweeten your father's
vinegar!" he said with a laugh.

"You know, my pretty Klara," he said gaily, "that I was half afraid I
shouldn't see you to-day at all."

"No?" she asked coquettishly.

"No, by gad! My father was so soft-hearted to allow Eros a day off for
his wedding or something, and so, if you please, I had to go to Arad
with him, as he had to see about a sale of clover. I thought we should
never get back. The roads were abominable."

"I hardly expected your lordship," she said demurely.

To punish her for that little lie, he tweaked her small ear till it
became a bright crimson.

"That is to punish you for telling such a lie," he said gaily. "You know
that I meant to come and say good-bye."

"Your lordship goes to-morrow?" she asked with a sigh.

"To shoot bears, my pretty Klara," he replied. "I don't want to go. I
would rather stay another week here for you to amuse me, you know."

"I am proud . . ." she whispered.

"So much do you amuse me that I have brought you a present, just to show
you that I thought of you to-day and because I want you not to forget me
during the three months that I shall be gone."

He drew the parcel out of his pocket and, turning his back to the rest
of the room, he cut the string and undid the paper that wrapped it. The
contents of the parcel proved to be a morocco case, which flew open at a
touch and displayed a gold curb chain bracelet--the dream of Klara
Goldstein's desires.

"For me?" she said, with a gasp of delight.

"For your pretty arm, yes," he replied. "Shall I put it o