or, The Silver Skates . 239

“I can read your thoughts, \ :
sweetheart.”

She looked up in pay
defiance.

«Ah! now I am sure of
them. You were thinking of
those noble-hearted women, but
for whom Prussia might have
fallen. I know it by that proud
light in your eye.”

“The proud light in my
eye plays me false, then,” she
answered. ‘I had no such
grand matter in my mind. To
confess the simple truth, I was

  

only thinking how lovely this i
necklace would be with my “= aoe

blue brocade.”
QUENTIN MATSYS'S WELL AT

“So, so!”- exclaimed the
ANTWERP.

rather crestfallen spouse.

“But I can think of the other, Jasper; and it will add a
deeper value to your gift. You remember the incident, do you
not, Peter ?— how when the French were invading Prussia,
and for lack of means the country was unable to defend itself
against the enemy, the women turned the scale by pouring
their plate and jewels into the public treasury.”

“ Aha!” thought mynheer, as he met his vroww’s kindling
glance. ‘The proud light is there now, in earnest.”

Peter remarked mischievously that the women had still
proved true to their vanity on that occasion; for jewelry they
would have. If gold or silver were wanted by the kingdom,