"Leave that to me; only act with me, and Mildred Ward becomes your wife just so certain as I now drink to you--your health, signor." "And, pray, allow me to ask," said Perozzi, "what benefit you expect to reap from such unparalleled generosity--it cannot surely be out of pure love to me that you thus "Buckle fortune on my back To bear her burthen whether I will or no!" "You are right," answered Mr. Donaldson, dropping the servile tone in which he had before spoken, "you are right--it is from no love to you; my object is this. You know as well as I do the utter impracticability of my refunding any part of the money I owe you at present. True, you may seize my estates, but this I think you will hardly do in preference to the plan I propose; it would be at best but a vexatious affair, while by accepting my proposition you secure not only an equivalent for your debt, but also the hand of a charming young girl." "Well, well, to the point," interrupted the Spaniard, impatiently. "It is simply this; give me your written promise to release me from all obligation, return me whatever notes you hold against me, and I on my part pledge to you the hand and fortune of my step-daughter." Perozzi remained for some moments in deep revery, as if studying the feasibility of the proposed plan. "I have half a mind to try it," he mused; "it may do--the connection will be a good one. Old Dundass is as rich as a Jew, and a man of great influence; while on the other hand, should the project fail, I shall be no worse off than now, unless an earthquake should swallow up the estates from my grasp." "There is one contingency which seems to have entirely escaped your forecast," he exclaimed aloud, turning to Mr. Donaldson, "the lady may not be of your way of thinking--she may prove refractory." "Leave that to me," was the reply. "I may not fancy her." "Nor the money?" added Mr. Donaldson, with a meaning smile. "Ah, there, I grant, you have me. Well, well, I am willing to talk the matter over with you a little more freely. Miss Ward is handsome, you say?" "As a Houri." "And young?" "Scarce seventeen." "Very well--now to business." But we have already entered into sufficient detail of the conversation of these two men to show the reader in what peril poor Mildred stood from their machinations. It is enough to say that ere they parted, Perozzi pledged his word that, should their plot succeed, he would, on his marriage-day, place in the hands of Mr. Donaldson a quit claim to every demand he held against him. CHAPTER V. How beautiful was Mildred as she sprung to meet the embrace of her old grandfather; and how fondly did the old man gaze upon his recovered treasure, almost incredulous that this lovely girl could be the same little pet, whose infantine gambols and artless caresses time had not been able to efface from his mind.