'Affectation of fear may be pardoned in a _child_, Rosalie,' said she,
with a sarcastic smile, 'but it is nevertheless very unbecoming.'

"'Do not indulge one apprehension,' exclaimed St. James, stepping over
one of the seats and sitting down at my side. 'I am one of the best
sailors in the world. _Non timui--Caesarem vehis._ Give the sails to the
winds, boys. I will make them my vassals.'

"His eyes beamed with conscious power, as the white sheet unrolled and
swelled gracefully in the breeze. It was strange, all my fears were
gone, and I felt as serene a confidence as if his vaunting words were
true. The strong will, the magic smile were acting on me like a spell,
and I yielded unresistingly to their influence.

"Mrs. Lynn would gladly have revoked her commands, since they had called
forth such an expression of interest for me; but the boat swept on with
triumphant speed, and even I participated in the exhilaration of its
motion. Just before we reached the shore, Mrs. Lynn bent forward and
took the flowers from the hand of St. James before he was aware of her
design.

"'Is that mignonette which is so oppressively fragrant?' she asked,
lifting the bouquet to her nose. She was seated near the side of the
barge, and her head was gracefully inclined. Whether from accident or
design, I think it was the latter, the flowers dropped into the river.

"In the flashing of an eye-glance, St. James leaped over the boat side,
seized the flowers, held them up in triumph over his head, and swam to
the shore. He stood there with dripping garments and smiling lips as we
landed, while the paleness of terror still blanched my face, and its
agitation palpitated in my heart.

"'I must deny myself the pleasure of escorting you to the threshold,'
said he, glancing at me, while he shook the brine-drops from his arms.
His head had not been submerged. He had held that royally above the
waves. 'But,' added he, with graceful gallantry, 'I have rescued a
trophy which I had silently vowed to guard with my life;--a treasure
doubly consecrated by the touch of valor and the hand of beauty.'

"'Well,' exclaimed Mrs. Lynn, as soon as we were at home, tossing her
bonnet disdainfully on the sofa, 'if I ever was disgusted with boldness
and affectation I have been to-day. But one thing let me tell you, Miss
Rosalie, if you cannot learn more propriety of manners, if you make such
sickening efforts to attract the attention of strangers, I will never
all