rprise
before the servants--and went on with his book, still without turning
his head.

"I thought if he had turned it, he would scarcely sit there reading so
quietly; for Jacqueline who had not stirred from her alert and upright
position, was looking at him in a way no father, least of all a father
who loved his child as he did her, could have beheld without agitation.
It was the glance of a tigress waiting for the sight of an inconsiderate
move, in order to spring. It was wild unconstrainable joy, eying a
possible check and madly defying it. I shuddered as I looked at her eye,
and sickened as I perceived a huge drop of blood ooze from her white
fingers, where they unconsciously clutched a thorn, and drop dark and
disfiguring upon her virgin garments. At the indifferent exclamation of
her father, her features relaxed, and she turned haughtily towards the
girl, with a veiling of her secret delight that already bespoke the
woman of the world.

"'Tell Mr. Holt that I will see him presently,' said she, and was about
to follow the girl from the room when I caught her by the sleeve.

"'You will have to change your dress,' said I, and I pointed to the
ominous blot disfiguring its otherwise spotless white.

"She started and gave me a quick glance.

"'I have a skin like a spider's web," cried she. 'I should never meddle
with roses.' But I noticed she did not toss the blossom away.

"'Who is this Mr. Holt?' now asked the Colonel suddenly turning, the
servant having left the room.

"'He is a gentleman I met in Boston,' came from his daughter's lips, in
her usual light and easy tones. 'He is probably passing through our town
on his way to Providence, where I was told he did business. His call is
no more than a formality, I presume.' And with an indifferent little
smile and nod, she vanished from the room, that a moment before had been
filled with the threat of her silent passion. The Colonel gave a short
sigh but returned undisturbed to his book.

"In the course of a few minutes Jacqueline came back. She had changed
her dress for one as summerlike as the other, but still finer and more
elaborate. She looked elegant, imperious, but the joy had died out from
her eyes, and in its place was another expression incomprehensible to
me, but fully as alarming as any that had gone before. 'Mr. Holt finds
himself obliged to remain in town over night, and would like to pay his
respects to you,' said she to her father.

"The Colonel