se last few
words, and thus aroused the attention of some of the folk, who had stood
by to listen. Of course, everyone knew of Bela's aversion to the
csardas, and curiosity prompted gaffers and gossips to try and hear what
would be the end of this argument between the pretty bride--who
certainly looked rather wilful and obstinate now--and her future lord
and master.

"Well said, little Elsa!" came now in ringing accents from the foremost
group in the little crowd; "we must see you dance the csardas once or
twice more before that ogre has the authority to shut you up in his
castle."

"Moreover, your promise has been made to me," asserted Feher Karoly
lustily, "and I certainly shall not release you from it."

"Nor I," added Jeno.

"Don't you listen to Bela, my little Elsa," said one of the older women;
"you are still a free girl to-day. You just do as you like--to-morrow
will be time enough to do as he tells you."

But this opinion the married men present were not prepared to endorse,
and one or two minor arguments and lectures ensued anent a woman's duty
of obedience.

Bela had said nothing while these chaffing remarks were being passed
over his head; and now that public attention was momentarily diverted
from him, he took Elsa's hand and passed it under his arm.

"You had better go to your mother now, hadn't you?" he said, with what
seemed like perfect calm. "You said just now that you wished to speak to
her."

Elsa allowed him to lead her away. She tried vainly to guess what was
going on in his mind. She knew, of course, that he must be very angry.
Eros Bela beaten in an argument was at no time a very pleasant customer,
and now he surely was raging inwardly, for he had set his heart on
exerting his authority over this matter of the csardas and had signally
failed.

But she could not see how he felt, for he kept his face averted from her
inquiring gaze.

Kapus Irma greeted her future son-in-law with obvious acerbity.

"I hear you have been teasing Elsa again," she said crossly. "Why can't
you let her enjoy herself just for to-night, without interfering with
her?"

"Oh! I am not going to interfere with her," he replied, with a sneer.
"You have given her such perfect lessons of disobedience and obstinacy
that it will take me all my time in the future to drill her into proper
wifely shape. But to-night I am not going to interfere with her. She has
told me plainly that she means to do just as she likes and