"Why, massa, I—I—thought in spite of the whiteness of her skin, she must be—"
"Of the same rank as yourself; is it not so?"
"Yes, massa."
"Very well, then; do you think it possible that your mistress could receive her as a visitor—as an equal?"
"Oh, no, massa!" exclaimed the girl.
"That is enough. You can let her know this."
Myra courtesied, and was about to leave the room, when Gilbert Margrave arrested her by an imperious motion of his hand.
"Stay!" he exclaimed. "Pardon me, Mr. Horton, if I presume to say that this must not be. I had the honor of meeting Miss Leslie one evening at the house of your aunt. Permit me, therefore, to spare her an insult which I should feel myself a dastard in tolerating. Allow me to carry your answer to Miss Leslie?"
"You, sir!" exclaimed Augustus Horton.
"Oh, pardon me, Mr. Horton, if I appear to make a bad return for the kind welcome you were so ready to offer to a stranger; but remember that the customs and prejudices of the South are new to me, and forgive me if I say that the conduct which on your part would only be natural, would become on mine an abominable cowardice!"