"Pray, pray, do not disturb yourself, Miss Merlin; indeed I am doing very well," said the youth, smiling. The next instant he turned away his face; it was to conceal a spasm of agony that suddenly sharpened all his features, blanched his lips, and forced the cold sweat out on his brow. But Claudia had seen it. "Oh, I fear you suffer very much," she said. The spasm had passed as quickly as it came. He turned to her his smiling eyes. "I fear you suffer very, very much," she repeated, looking at him. "Oh, no, not much; see how soon the pain passed away." "Ah! but it was so severe while it lasted! I saw that it caught your breath away! I saw it, though you tried to hide it! Ah! you do suffer, Ishmael! and for me! me," she cried, forgetting her pride in the excess of her sympathy. The smile in Ishmael's dark blue eyes deepened to ineffable tenderness and beauty as he answered softly: "It is very, very sweet to suffer for--one we esteem and honor." "I am not worth an hour of your pain!" exclaimed Claudia, with something very like self-reproach. "Oh, Miss Merlin, if you knew how little I should value my life in comparison with your safety." Ishmael paused; for he felt that perhaps he was going too far. "I think that you have well proved how ready you are to sacrifice your life for the preservation, not only of your friends, but of your very foes! I have not forgotten your rescue of Alf and Ben Burghe," said the heiress emphatically, yet a little coldly, as if, while anxious to give him the fullest credit and the greatest honor for courage, generosity, and magnanimity, she was desirous to disclaim any personal interest he might feel for herself. "There is a difference, Miss Merlin," said Ishmael, with gentle dignity. "Oh, I suppose there is; one would rather risk one's life for a friend than for an enemy," replied Claudia icily. "I have displeased you, Miss Merlin; I am very sorry for it. Pray, forgive me," said Ishmael, with a certain suave and stately courtesy, for which the youth was beginning to be noted. "Oh, you have not displeased me, Ishmael! How could you, you who have just risked and almost sacrificed your life to save mine! No, you have not displeased; but you have surprised me! I would not have had you run any risk for me, Ishmael, that you would not have run for the humblest negro on my father's plantation; that is all." "Miss Merlin, I would have run any risk to save anyone at need; but I might not have borne the after consequences in all cases with equal patience--equal pleasure. Ah, Miss Merlin, forgive me, if I am now happy in my pain! forgive me this presumption, for it is the only question at issue between us," said the youth, with a pleading glance. "Oh, Ishmael, let us not talk any more about me! Talk of yourself. Tell me how you are, and where you feel pain." "Nowhere much, Miss Merlin." "Papa told me that two of your limbs were broken and your chest injured, and now I see all that for myself."