"Miss Black," he said, "it must be past twelve o'clock."
"I suppose it is," said Cap.
"Then it must be long past your usual hour of retiring."
"Of course it is," said Cap.
"Then what are you waiting for?"
"For my company to go home," replied Cap.
"Meaning me?"
"Meaning you."
"Oh, don't mind me, my dear."
"Very well," said Cap, "I shall not trouble myself about you," and
her tones were steady, though her heart seemed turned into a ball of
ice, through terror.
Black Donald went on slowly sipping his egg-nog, filling up his
goblet when it was empty, and looking at Capitola over the top of
his glass. At last he said:
"I have been watching you, Miss Black."
"Little need to tell me that," said Cap.
"And I have been reading you."
"Well, I hope the page was entertaining."
"Well, yes, my dear, it was, rather so. But why don't you proceed?"
"Proceed--with what?"
"With what you are thinking of, my darling."
"I don't understand you!"
"Why don't you offer to go down-stairs and bring up some lemons?"
"Oh, I'll go in a moment," said Cap, "if you wish."
"Ha--ha--ha--ha--ha! Of course you will, my darling! And you'd
deliver me into the hands of the Philistines, just as you did my
poor men when you fooled them about the victuals! I know your tricks
and all your acting has no other effect on me than to make me admire
your wonderful coolness and courage; so, my dear, stop puzzling your
little head with schemes to baffle me! You are like the caged
starling! You can't--get--out!" chuckled Black Donald, hitching his
chair nearer to hers.
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