asperity, "that you seem to have been unfortunate in your selection of
acquaintances, and still more so in your ideas of the derivations of the
English tongue. The--er--the--er--expressions you have quoted are not
common to Boston, but emanate, I believe, from the West."
Carmen de Haro contritely buried everything but her black eyes in her
shawl.
"No one," he continued, more gently, sitting down again, "has the right
to forecast from my past what I intend to do in the future, or designate
the means I may choose to serve the principles I hold or the party I
represent. Those are MY functions. At the same time, should occasion--or
opportunity--for we are within a day or two of the close of the
Session--"
"Yes," interrupted Carmen, sadly, "I see,--it will be some business,
some claim, something for somebody,--ah! Madre de Dios,--you will not
speak, and I--"
"When do you think of returning?" asked the Senator, with grave
politeness; "when are we to lose you?"
"I shall stay to the last,--to the end of the Session," said Carmen.
"And NOW I shall go." She got up and pulled her shawl viciously over her
shoulders, with a pretty pettishness, perhaps the most feminine thing
she had done that evening. Possibly, the most genuine.
The Senator smiled affably: "You do not deserve to be disappointed in
either case; but it is later than you imagine; let me help you on the
shorter distance in my carriage; it is at the door."
He accompanied her gravely to the carriage. As it rolled away, she
buried her little figure in its ample cushions and chuckled to herself,
albeit a little hysterically. When she had reached her destination, she
found herself crying, and hastily, and somewhat angrily, dried her eyes
as she drew up at the door of her lodgings.
"How have you prospered?" asked Mr. Harlowe, of counsel for Royal
Thatcher, as he gallantly assisted her from the carriage. "I have
been waiting here for two hours; your interview must have been
prolonged,--that was a good sign."
"Don't ask me now," said Carmen, a little savagely, "I'm worn out and
|