The compliment disarmed her at once; and with one of her winning smiles, and a quick little courtesy, she said:  “Do you think it’s a pretty name?  You may call me Floracita, if you like it so much.”

“I think it is the prettiest name in the world,” replied he.  “I used to like to hear your mother say it.  She said everything so sweetly!  Do you remember she used to call me Florimond when I was a little boy, because, she said, my face was so florid?  Now I always write my name Franz Florimond Blumenthal, in memory of her.”

“I will always call you Florimond, just as Mamita did,” said she.

Their very juvenile tete-a-tete was interrupted by the entrance of Madame with Rosa, who thanked him graciously for her portion of the flowers, and told him her father was so much attached to him that she should always think of him as a brother.

He blushed crimson as he thanked her, and went away with a very warm feeling at his heart, thinking Floracita a prettier name than ever, and happily unconscious that he was parting from her.

He had not been gone long when the bell rang again, and the girls again hastened to hide themselves.  Half an hour elapsed without their seeing or hearing anything of Madame; and they began to be extremely anxious lest something unpleasant was detaining her.  But she came at last, and said, “My children, the Signor wants to speak to you.”

They immediately descended to the sitting-room, where they found the Signor looking down and slowly striking the ivory head of his cane against his chin, as he was wont to do when buried in profound thought.  He rose as they entered, and Rosa said, with one of her sweetest smiles, “What is it you wish, dear friend?” He dropped a thin cloak from his shoulders and removed his hat, which brought away a grizzled wig with it, and Mr. Fitzgerald stood smiling before them.

The glad surprise excited by this sudden realization of a latent hope put maidenly reserve to flight, and Rosa dropped on her knees before him, exclaiming, “O Gerald, save us!”

He raised her tenderly, and, imprinting a kiss on her forehead, said:  “Save you, my precious Rose?  To be sure I will.  That’s what I came for.”

“And me too,” said Flora, clinging to him, and hiding her face under his arm.

“Yes, and you too, mischievous fairy,” replied he, giving her a less ceremonious kiss than he had bestowed on her sister.  “But we must talk fast, for there is a great deal to be done in a short time.  I was unfortunately absent from home, and did not receive the letter informing me of your good father’s death so soon as I should otherwise have done.  I arrived in the city this morning, but have been too busy making arrangements for your escape to come here any earlier.  The Signor and I have done the work of six during the last few hours.  The creditors are not aware of my acquaintance with you, and I have assumed this disguise