“She is!” agreed Peter, with conviction. “I’ve known it a long time. Well, to return, the poor thing was actually bewildered with terror. She said that she liked the fellow well enough at first--you know he has the talents of an adventurer--he flattered her and led her on, always speaking French, until he had got up a great intimacy. Then Mrs. Budlong,--she no longer called her mother,--began to persuade her to accept him, and then to treat the matter as settled; and then to bully her and say that her honour was engaged, and her character would be gone if she did not marry him. “Imagine the poor girl, so young, and totally uneducated to think for herself, in the grasp of that infernal crocodile! Then her brother, that mean little squirt, Tim, made some heavy gambling debts to the Frenchman, and he told her he thought the marriage was just the thing, and wouldn’t listen to a word from her. Mrs. Budlong said that her father had given his full approval to the match. Arabella felt utterly abandoned, and I do believe that horrid hag would have carried her point before this, if Ambient hadn’t stepped in with his timely licking. At the picnic the Frenchman was continuing to treat her with tyrannical familiarity. She hated him so much that she longed to go to Diana and Clara for protection, but she feared they would think her a silly little snob and send her to her mother. Mother!” repeated Peter with emotion, and swallowed hard. Mr. Waddy also felt an unaccustomed lump in his gullet. “Peter,” said he, a little huskily, “I’m proud of you. By Jove! I’m proud to know you. You’re the best man in the lot. The rest of us would have stood around and seen that girl sent to the devil and never have lifted a finger to prevent it.” “Oh, come,” protested Peter, “I know better than that. And then, besides, you see, you--you didn’t have my incentive. She needed someone, Waddy; she said she’d always thought me one of her best friends--but she couldn’t speak to any gentleman about her troubles, much less me. And then she began to cry again and I had to kiss her again like a brother and tell her that I was her best friend and would save her. Luckily, no one happened to pass; so I let her sob herself quiet in my arms and told her to have courage and not to speak to anyone on this subject. What a damnable infamy it is! I don’t care for Mrs. Budlong, and would let her be exposed and go to the devil, but it will kill the old gentleman. He’s a good old boy, and actually loves that woman. We must save him if we can. Here is old Mellasys, Saccharissa’s father; couldn’t we get him to kidnap the Frenchman for a fugitive slave?” “Peter,” said Waddy, “we may get the Frenchman off, but there is left behind a man much more dangerous than any Frenchman--Belden!” * * * * *