clare I feel so ashamed of those
stupid men, I could just wring their necks! Now, just to make us quits,
you ask me anything in the world you like!"

Over his shoulder the Baron threw a stealthy glance at his friend, but
this time he did not invoke his assistance. Instead, he again murmured
very distinctly--

"By ze Gad!"

"Twice!" counted Bunker.

"Miss Maddison," said the Baron to the flushed and eager girl, "am I
to onderstand zat you now are satisfied zat I am not too vicked, too
suspeecious, too unvorthy of your charming society? I do not say I am
yet vorthy--bot jost not too bad!"

Had the Baroness at that moment heard merely the intonation of his
voice, she would undoubtedly have preferred a Chinese prison.

"Indeed, Lord Tulliwuddle, you may."

"By ze Gad!" announced the Baron, in a voice braced with resolution.

"May I take the liberty of inspecting the aviary?" said the Count.

"With the very greatest pleasure," replied the heiress kindly.

His last distinct impression as he withdrew was of the Baron giving his
mustache a more formidable twirl.

"A very pretty little scene," he reflected, as he strolled out in search
of others. "Though, hang me, I'm not sure if it ended in the right man
leaving the stage!"

This "second-fiddle feeling," as he styled it humorously to himself,
was further increased by the demeanor of Miss Gallosh, to whom he now
endeavored to make himself agreeable. Though sharing the universal
respect felt for the character and talents of the Count, she was
evidently too perturbed at seeing him appear alone to appreciate his
society as it deserved. Ever since luncheon poor Eva's heart had been
sinking. The beauty, the assurance, the cleverness, and the charm of the
fabulously wealthy American heiress had filled her with vague misgivings
even while the gentlemen were safely absent; but when Miss Maddison was
summoned away, and her father and brother took her place, her uneasiness
vastly increased. Now here was the last buffer removed between the
chieftain and her audacious rival (so she already counted her). What
drama could these mysterious movements have been leading to?

In vain did Count Bunker exercise his unique powers of conversation.
In vain did he discourse on the beauties of nature as displayed in
the wooded valley and the towering hills, and the beauties of art as
exhibited in the aviary and the new fir forest. Eva's thoughts were
too much engrossed with the beauties o