She lifted her eyebrows at Marion, and said presently, in a soft, deliberate voice, "Come, Marion, we will go and see little Richard; then I shall be happy." She linked her arm through Marion's.

Marion drummed her fingers lightly on the beautiful arm, and then fell to wondering what she should say next.

They passed into the room where the child lay sleeping; they went to his little bed, and Lali stretched out her hand gently, touching the curls of the child.

Running a finger through one delicately, she said, with a still softer tone than before: "Why should not one be happy ?" Marion looked up slowly into her eyes, let a hand fall on her shoulder gently, and replied: "Lali, do you never wish Frank to come ?" Lali's fingers came from the child, the colour mounted slowly to her forehead, and she drew the girl away again into the other room.

Then she turned and faced Marion, a deep fire in her eyes, and said, in a whisper almost hoarse in its intensity: "Yes; I wish he would come to-night." She looked harder yet at Marion; then, with a flash of pride and her hands clasping before her, she drew herself up, and added: "Am I not worthy to be his wife now?
Am I not beautiful--for a savage ?" There was no common vanity in the action.