nothing better than such
employment as you have now."

It made the listener's blood boil to think that these people should be
consulting in that way, like friends. Daisy ought to have a better sense
of her position.

"I will not refuse your offer, at least not yet," replied Hannibal,
after a slight pause. "It may be as you say--if I graduate as a doctor
or a lawyer. But I know that I live in a country where my color is
despised--and all that could possibly come to me here as a professional
man is work among my own race. I should be a black lawyer with black
clients; or a black physician, with black patients. To really succeed I
should go across the ocean to some land where the shade of my skin would
not be counted a crime."

Daisy's face could not be seen by the listener, but he was sure it was a
kindly one, and this made him fume. The situation was atrocious.

"It should not be considered so anywhere," said the girl, gently.

"It is an outrage!" responded the black. "Having stolen our ancestors
and brought them here from their native country, the Americans hate us
for the injury they have done. In France, they tell me, it is not so.
Oh, if I _could_ gain an education, and become what God meant to make
me--a man!" He paused as if the thought was too great to be conceived in
its fullness, and then said, abruptly: "Where can you get this money?"

Roseleaf's suspicions were now keenly aroused and he dreaded lest she
should bring his name into the conversation.

"Your father would not give it to you--without an explanation," pursued
the negro. "And you have no fortune of your own."

"I will get it--let that suffice," interrupted the girl. "I can give you
$1000 a year for two years, at least, and I hope for two or three more,
if you will go to Paris and put yourself under instruction. Can you
hesitate to accept a proposal of that kind? I thought you would seize it
with avidity."

As Daisy said this she arose, and started slowly toward the house.
Hannibal walked by her side talking in a tone so low that nothing more
was intelligible to the eavesdropper she little suspected was so near.
But suddenly the girl stopped, and Roseleaf heard her cry with startling
distinctness:

"_How dare you!_"

The voice that uttered these words was filled with rage, and the girl's
attitude, as Roseleaf could see--for he had risen hastily to his
feet--was one of intense excitement. Then she added:

"If you ever speak of that again,