joy this masquerade: it
enables me to mingle without constraint among the unconstrained. You
are going to see marvellous things to-night, friend Seraphin. If your
organs of hearing are not very sound, I advise you to provide yourself
with some cotton, so that the drums of your ears may not be endangered
from the noise of the election skirmish."

"Your caution is far from inspiring confidence," said Louise with some
humor. "I charge it upon your soul that you bring back Mr. Gerlach safe
and sound, for I too am responsible for our guest."

"And I, it seems, am less near to you than the guest, for you feel no
anxiety about me," said the brother archly.

"Eight o'clock--it is our time."

He pulled the bell. A servant carried off the suits to the gentlemen's
rooms.

"May I beseech the men in blouses for the honor of a visit before they
go?"

"You shall have an opportunity to admire us," said Carl. The
transformation of the young men was more rapidly effected than the
self-satisfied mustering of Louise before the large mirror which
reflected her elegant form entire. She laughingly welcomed her brother
in his sandy beard, and fixed a look of surprise upon Seraphin, whose
innocent person appeared to great advantage in the simple costume.

"Impossible to recognize you," decided the young lady. "You, brother
Redbeard, look for all the world like a cattle dealer."

"The gracious lady has hit it exactly," said the banker with an assumed
voice. "I am a horse jockey, bent on euchreing this young gentleman out
of a splendid pair of horses."

"Friend Seraphin is most lovely," said she in an undertone. "How well
the country costume becomes him!" And her sparkling eyes darted
expressive glances at the subject of her compliments.

For the first time she had called him friend, and the word friend made
him more happy than titles and honors that a prince might have
bestowed. He felt his soul kindle at the sight of the lovely being
whose delicate and bewitching coquetry the inexperienced youth failed
to detect, but the influence of which he was surely undergoing. His
cheeks glowed still more highly, and he became uneasy and embarrassed.

"Your indulgent criticism is encouraging, Miss Louise," replied he.

"I have merely told the truth," replied she.

"But our hands--what are we to do with our hands?" interposed Carl.
"Soft white hands like these do not belong to drovers. First of all,
away with diamonds and rubies. Gold rings