h to behold the pain with which Sinclair evidently regarded the
good fortune of the Indian, and the complacency with which the monster
received the favour of one of the loveliest of her sex. Once during the
dance, the change of the figure brought the lady within a few feet of
Sinclair. Her back was towards him, but, as if aware of his vicinity,
she turned round and cast the lustre of her full eye upon him. She
smiled, and archly nodded. Rupert shook like a leaf; the colour mounted
to his cheek, and his heart beat almost audibly. I grew alarmed. My
faith in the Yahoo was shaken, and I trembled for my friend. The
position of the dancers was again reversed. Elinor faced us. Her eye
once more was fixed upon Rupert, but this time, as I believed, exulting
in triumph. Could it be possible that she was aware of her influence,
and that she inhumanly trifled with this man's affection? What meant
that ardent gaze and that triumphant smile? As the general had informed
us, so it happened. The Yahoo danced four quadrilles with Elinor, and
then vouchsafed the loan of his blackness to other ladies for the rest
of the evening. Miss Travis being at liberty, I proposed to Rupert an
adjournment to our hotel. The gentleman, in answer, started up and
secured the hand of Elinor for the next dance. His chair at my side was
filled on the instant by the general himself. I listened and replied to
the questions of the latter as well as I could, watching every movement,
step, and gesture of the young sorcerer and her victim.

"Your friend, Mr Wilson, is not so gay as usual. What has happened?"

"Nothing."

"You return to London, I believe, in"----

The general paused.

"Mr Sinclair's leave of absence," I answered, "will soon expire."

"A gentle-spirited man, Mr Wilson. He does you credit."

"He owes me little, general," I answered. "Providence has been bountiful
to him."

"Strange! And his father, they say, is as great a brute."

"Lord Railton," I said, "is not so amiable as his son."

"Proud and overbearing! But a magnificent rent-roll though! His son does
not appear a man of the world. Vastly good-natured, but he wants fire
and character."

"Mr Sinclair does not do himself justice," I replied. "There is more in
him than meets the eye."

"You are a scholar, Mr Wilson," suddenly exclaimed the general, "and can
appreciate a literary curiosity. Do me the favour to accompany me to my
study. I have a Greek manuscript which I picked up in