"This protege of yours is a very remarkable girl, as interesting to me in her character as she is in her history; her very spirit, courage and insubordination make her singularly hard to manage and apt to go astray. With your permission I will make her acquaintance, with the view of seeing what good I can do her." "Pray do so, for then you will be better able to counsel me how to manage the capricious little witch who, if I attempt to check her in her wild and dangerous freedom of action, tells me plainly that liberty is too precious a thing to be exchanged for food and clothing, and that, rather than live in bondage, she will throw herself upon the protection of the court. If she does that the game is up. Le Noir, against whom we can as yet prove nothing, would claim her as his niece and ward, and get her into his power for the purpose of making way with her, as he did with her father and mother." "Oh, for heaven's sake, sir! no more of that until we have further evidence," said the minister, uneasily, adding, "I will see your very interesting protege to-morrow." "Do, do! to-morrow, to-day, this hour, any time!" said Major Warfield, as he cordially took leave of the pastor. CHAPTER XXV. CAP'S TRICKS AND PERILS. I'll be merry and free, I'll be sad for naebody; Naebody cares for me, I care for naebody. --Burns. The next day, according to agreement, the pastor came and dined at Hurricane Hall. During the dinner he had ample opportunity of observing Capitola. In the afternoon Major Warfield took an occasion of leaving him alone with the contumacious young object of his visit. Cap, with her quick perceptions, instantly discovered the drift and purpose of this action, which immediately provoked all the mischievous propensities of her elfish spirit. "Uncle means that I shall be lectured by the good parson. If he preaches to me, won't I humor him 'to the top of his bent?'--that's all," was her secret resolution, as she sat demurely, with pursed-up lips, bending over her needlework. The honest and well-meaning old country clergyman hitched his chair a little nearer to the perverse young rebel, and gingerly--for he was half afraid of his questionable subject--entered into conversation with her. To his surprise and pleasure, Capitola replied with the decorum of a young nun. Encouraged by her manner, the good minister went on to say how much interested he felt in her welfare; how deeply he compassionated her lot in never having possessed the advantage of a mother's teaching; how anxious he was by his counsels to make up to her as much as possible such a deficiency. Here Capitola put up both her hands and dropped her face upon them.