d. Alluded to my recent proposal. Asked me
if I had intended her to be Number Four, and declared her belief that I
had thirty rather than three. Finally, the aunt waked up, and wanted to
know what we were laughing at. Whereupon Louie said that she was
laughing at a ridiculous story of mine, about an Indian juggler who
could jeep three oranges in the air at the same time.

"'Captain Randolph,' said she 'you know all about Frederick the Great,
of course?'

"'Of course," I said, 'and Alexander the Great also, and Julius Caesar,
and Nebuchadnezzar, as the poet says.'

'"Perhaps you remember,' said Louie, in a grave tone, for her aunt was
wide awake now, 'that the peculiar excellence of the genius of that
great monarch consisted in his successful efforts to encounter the
coalition raised against him. Though subject to the attacks of the
three united powers of France, Austria, and Russia, he was still able
to repel them, and finally rescued himself from destruction. Three
assailants could not overpower him, and surely others may take courage
from his example.'

"And after that little speech I came away, and here I am."

For some time we sat in silence. Jack did not seem to expect any
remarks from me, but appeared to be rapt in his own thoughts. For my
part, I had nothing whatever to say, and soon became equally rapt in my
meditations.

And what were they about?

What? Why, the usual subject which had filled my mind for the past few
days--my adventure on the river, and my mysterious companion.
Mysterious though she was, she was evidently a lady, and, though I
could not be sure about her face, I yet could feel sure that she was
beautiful. So very romantic an adventure had an unusual charm, and this
charm was heightened to a wonderful degree by the mystery of her sudden
and utter disappearance.

And now, since Jack had been so very confidential with me, I determined
to return that confidence, and impart my secret to him. Perhaps he
could help me. At any rate, he was the only person to whom I could
think of telling it. So you see--

CHAPTER XII.

MY ADVENTURES REHEARSED TO JACK RANDOLPH.--"MY DEAR FELLOW, YOU DON'T
SAY SO!"--"'PON MY LIFE, YES."--"BY JOVE! OLD CHAP, HOW CLOSE YOU'VE
BEEN! YOU JUST HAVE NO END OF SECRETS. AND WHAT'S BECOME OF THE LADY?
WHO IS SHE?"

Who is she? Ay. Who, indeed? Hadn't I been torturing my brain for
seventy-nine hours, sleeping as well as waking, with that one
unanswered an