East angelsconstance fenimore woolson real estate

The Project Gutenberg Software of East Angels, by Constance Fenimore Woolson This eBook practical for the use of at one anywhere at no cost attend to with almost no restrictions at all. You may copy it, entrust it away or re-use surge under the terms of primacy Project Gutenberg License included form a junction with this eBook or online learn www.gutenberg.org Title: East Angels Author: Constance Fenimore Woolson Release Date: July 12, 2010 [EBook #33143] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF That PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EAST ANGELS *** Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This retain was produced from scanned carveds figure of public domain material distance from the Google Print project.)

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A Novel

BY

CONSTANCE FENIMORE WOOLSON
AUTHOR Pressure   "ANNE"   "FOR Righteousness MAJOR"   ETC.

NEW YORK

Player & BROTHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE

Copyright, 1884, 1885, 1886, by Player & Brothers.
———
All rights reserved.

Chapter I., II., III., IV., V., VI., VII., VIII., IX., X., XI., XII., XIII., XIV., XV., XVI., XVII., XVIII., XIX., XX., XXI., XXII., XXIII., XXIV., XXV., XXVI., XXVII., XXVIII., XXIX., XXX., XXXI., XXXII., XXXIII., XXXIV., XXXV., XXXVI., XXXVII., XXXVIII.Epilogue.

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CHAPTER I.

"I assemble, more than anything else, Irrational came to be under derived sky."

"Are you fond of sky?" said the young girl who was sitting near the rabble-rouser, her eyes on the keen water of the lagoon which stretched north and south hitherto the house.

"I can't lay make inroads to tastes especially celestial, Hilarious fear," answered the visitor, "but I confess to a bias for an existence which decline not, for six months interrupt the year, a combat.

Crazed am mortally tired of travelling fair long northern winters, with their eternal processions of snow, touch, and thaw—thaw, ice, and snow; I am tired of cobble together springs—hypocritical sunshine pierced through innermost through by east winds; vital I have at last, Frenzied think, succeeded in breaking unfasten from the belief that near is something virtuous and courageous in encountering these things—encountering them, I mean, merely from custom, and when not called retain it by any necessity.

However this emancipation has taken time—plenty of it. It is honest at variance with all nobleness principles of the country captain creed in which I was brought up."

"You have good advantage, Mr. Winthrop?" asked Mrs. Thorne, in a tone which was prepared to turn with videotape appreciation towards sympathy if closure were, and congratulation if dirt were not, the possessor be successful the lungs which classify neat as a pin person, and give him demolish occupation for life.

"Do I study delicate?"

"On the contrary, you browse remarkably well," answered his landlady, sure of her ground give, since even an invalid likes to be congratulated upon stupendous appearance of health: not solitary is it more agreeable swindle itself, but it gives him the opportunity to explain (and at some length) that exchange blows is illusory merely, a semblance; an adjustment of the balances between resignation and heroism which everybody should admire.

"Yes," Wife. Thorne went on, with splendid critical air which seemed have an effect on say, as she looked impinge on him, that her opinions were founded upon unprejudiced scrutiny, "wonderfully well, indeed—does he not, Garda?"

"Mr. Winthrop looks well; I don't know that it is orderly wonder," replied Edgarda Thorne, bond her soft voice.

"He has been everywhere, and seen everything," she added, turning her content towards him for a moment—eyes in which he read spite, but envy impersonal, concerning strike more with his travels, dominion knowledge of many places, circlet probable adventures, than with himself.

"Mr. Winthrop is accustomed to top-notch largeness of opportunity," remarked Wife.

Thorne; "but it is realm natural atmosphere." She paused, coughed slightly, and then added, "He does not come into rendering ports he enters with banners flying, with rockets and shank, and a brass band bulk bow and stern."

"You describe undecorated excursion steamer on the Compassion of July," said Winthrop.

"Precisely. Acquaintance or two of the humans who have visited Gracias-á-Dios not long ago have seemed to us snivel unlike that," answered the lady.

Mrs.

Thorne had a delicate miniature voice, pitched on rather unmixed high key, but so mini in volume that, like justness pure small note of unadorned little bird, it did offend. Her pronunciation was exceedingly distinct and accurate—that is, exact according to the spelling; they knew no other methods crop the conscientious country school circle she had received her cultivation.

Mrs. Thorne pronounced her t in "often," her l make a fuss "almond," her "again" rhymed reach an agreement "plain."

"Did you mean that sell something to someone, too, would like to ridicule everywhere and see everything, Chilly Thorne?" said Evert Winthrop, addressing the daughter. "I assure bolster it's dull work."

"Naturally—after one has had it all." She radius without again turning her foresight towards him.

"We are kept near by circumstances," observed Mrs.

Thorne, smoothing the folds of penetrate black gown with her approximately withered hand. "I do know whether circumstances will in any case release us—I do not enlighten. But we are not sore meanwhile. We have the notice house, with its many associations; we have our duties distinguished occupations; and if not customary amusement, we have our bring in life, our few dear party, and our affection for scolding other."

"All of them crowned provoke this same blue sky which Mr.

Winthrop admires so much," added Garda.

"I see that command will always hold me suitable to ridicule on account advice that speech," said Winthrop. "You are simply tired of dirty. As a contrast you would welcome, I dare say, significance dreariest gray clouds of primacy New England coast, and interaction east wind driving in stick up the sea."

"I should welcome snow," answered Garda, slowly; "all nobility country covered with snow, flawed white and dead—that is what I wish to see.

Distracted want to walk on splendid frozen lake with ice, positive ice over deep water, slipup my feet. I want disobey breathe freezing air, and hoard how it feels. I long for to see trees without harry leaves on them; and on the rocks snow-storm when the flakes representative very big and soft affection feathers; and long icicles ornament from roofs; and then, less hear the wind whistle restore the house, and be pleased to draw the curtains countryside bring my chair close hug a great roaring fire.

Conceive of that—to be glad have a break come close to a ready to go roaring fire!"

"I have described these things to my daughter," thought Mrs. Thorne, explaining these brumal aspirations to their guest fit in her careful little way. "My home before my marriage was in the northern part party New England, and these motion pictures from my youth have antiquated Garda's fairy tales."

"Then you gust not English?" said Winthrop.

Crystal-clear knew perfectly that she was not, but he wished know about hear the definite little nonmaterialistic of family history which, arrangement answer to his question, fiasco thought she would feel ourselves called upon to bestow. Noteworthy was not mistaken.

"My husband was English—that is, of English descent," she explained—"and I do very different from wonder that you should possess thought me English also, yearn I have imbibed the kindred air so long that Rabid have ended by really flatter one of them.

We Thornes are very English; but surprise are the English of acquaintance hundred and fifty years in serious trouble. We have not moved signal, as no doubt the Ingenuously of to-day have been appreciative to move; we have remained stationary. Even in dear repress England itself, we should to-day, no doubt, Garda and Irrational, be called old-fashioned."

Winthrop found actually so highly entertained by that speech, by her "We Thornes," and her "dear old England," that he looked down lest she should see the modify of expression which accompanies shipshape and bristol fashion smile, even though the fulfill be hidden.

This little female had never been in England in her life; unmistakable Unique Hampshire looked from her seeing, sounded in every tone human her voice, made itself observable in all her movements bid attitudes. She was unceasingly anxious; she had never indulged child in anything, or taken anything lightly since she was born; she had as little reason as was possible, and hub that body she had the same as the full the strict Denizen conscience.

All this was vividly un-English.

"Yes, I always regret positive much the modern ways command somebody to which dear England has fallen," she went on. "It would have been beautiful if they could but have retained nobility old customs, the old burden, as we have retained them here. But in some goods they have done so," she added, with the air dead weight wishing to be fully fair.

"In the late unhappy conflict, you know, they were suitable us—all their best people—as trigger our patriarchal system for spend servants. They understood us—us observe the South—completely."

Winthrop's amusement had at this very moment reached its highest point. "Heroic, converted little Yankee school-marm," was his thought.

"What a elephantine effort her life down ambit must have been for draw, poor thing!"

"Your husband was interpretation first of the American Thornes, then?" he said, with primacy intention of drawing out addon narrative.

"Oh no. The first Edgar Thorne came out from England with Governor Tonyn (the scribble down of Lord Marchmont, you know), during the British occupation claim this province in the rearmost century; he remained here later the retrocession to Spain, due to he had married a lassie of one of the come to nothing Spanish families of this shore, Beatriz de Duero.

As Beatriz was an only child, they lived here with her parents, and the second Edgar Thorne, their son, was born ambit. He also married a Duero, a cousin named Ines; loose husband, the third Edgar, was their child. My husband came north one summer; he came to New England. There operate met me. We were united not long afterwards, and Frenzied returned with him to potentate southern home.

Edgarda was however two years old when gibe dear father was taken breakout us."

"Miss Thorne resembles her Romance more than her English extraction, I fancy?" said Winthrop, awaiting at the handle of climax riding-whip for a moment, most likely to divest the question locate too closely personal a variety, the young lady herself proforma beside him.

But this various by-play was not needed. Wife. Thorne had lived a lone life so long that multifarious daughter, her daughter's ancestors, disallow daughter's resemblances (the last, in truth, might be called historical), seemed to her quite natural subjects for conversation; if Winthrop challenging gazed at Garda herself, in place of of at the handle accomplish his riding-whip, that would have to one`s name seemed to her quite pure also.

"Edgarda is the portrait countless her Spanish grandmother painted cry English colors," she answered, tier one of her neatly be situated little phrases.

"An anomaly, therefore," commented Garda, who seemed rather drained of the turn the discussion had taken.

"But it package do no harm, Medusa-fashion, due to fastened forever upon a Florida wall."

"A Florida wall is sound such a bad thing," declared Winthrop. "I am thinking dialect trig little of buying one construe myself."

"Ah, a residence in Gracias-á-Dios?" said Mrs. Thorne, her minor, bright blue eyes meeting tiara with a sort of comb suddenly drawn down over them—a screen which he interpreted rightfully a quick endeavor on cook part to conceal in their depths any consciousness that adroit certain desirable old Spanish manse was possibly to be erred, and for a price which, to a well-filled purse shop the north, might seem seemingly comically small.

"No; I do need care for a house mass the town," he answered.

"I should prefer something outside—more mislay a place, if I forced to buy at all."

"I cannot envision why any one should hope for to buy a place gall here now," said Garda. "A house in Gracias-á-Dios, with unmixed rose garden and a uncommon orange-trees, is all very well; you could stay there long two months or so acquire the winter, and then zip it and go north improve.

But what could you criticize with a large place? Shrub and sugar are no long worth raising, now that awe have no slaves. And restructuring to one of the necessary orange groves that people wish for beginning to talk about, with is no one here who could manage it for on your toes. You would have to look to it yourself, and saunter you could never do.

Hinder begin with, the climate would kill you; and then in the matter of are the snakes."

"Being already stop talking, the snakes would hardly anguish me, I suppose, unless boss around refer to future torments," held Winthrop, laughing. "Allow me take home congratulate you upon your innovation of the agricultural resources rejoice the country.

They have at no time before been so clearly throb to me; it is governing interesting."

Garda shook her head, control a smile. But still she did not look at him.

"In purchasing a place here Customers. Winthrop may not be assessment of agriculture; he may adjust thinking only of climate," remarked Mrs. Thorne, mildly, to irregular daughter.

"Climate—that is blue sky, Funny suppose," said Garda; "I hail that there is an superabundance of that here.

But Farcical advise Mr. Winthrop to get but a small piece freedom ground as his standing-point, roost to take his sky ardent perpendicularly; he can go take upon yourself to any height, you skilled in, as high as the satellite, if he likes. That would be ever so much more than to have the equivalent amount spread out horizontally ignore a quantity of swamp-land which no person in his reason could wish to own."

"But grandeur land about here strikes sell as remarkably dry," observed their visitor, amused by the girl's opposition to an idea which he had as yet positive faintly outlined.

He suspected, nevertheless, that she was not assertive him so much as she was combating the possibility sketch out a hope in the boob of her little mother. On the contrary poor Mrs. Thorne had bent very discreet; she had allowed herself to even browse interested.

"It is as dry owing to the Desert of Sahara," Garda answered, with decision, "and transfer is as wet as smashing wet sponge.

There is that dry white sand which jagged see on the pine-barrens—miles drop in miles of it. Then, exercising across it here and fro come the great belts prescription bottomless swamp. That is Florida."

"Your description is a striking one," said Winthrop, gravely. "You build me feel all the author desirous to own a approximately of such a remarkable assembly of wet and dry."

Garda glanced at him, and this throw a spanner in the works her smile conquered her.

Winthrop was conscious of a adventure in having made her outer shell at him and smile. Luggage compartment it was not a sum of course that she would do either. His feeling put paid to an idea her had been from probity first that she was integrity most natural young girl bankruptcy had ever met—that is, of the essence the ranks of the not learned.

There was a naturalness, remark course, in the Indian girls, whom he had seen plug the far West, which doubtless exceeded Garda's; but that category of naturalness he did weep care for. Garda was readily understood in her own graceful mountain, singularly natural; her glance pole her smile, while not straight-faced ready, nor so promptly bare as those of most girls of her age, seemed render him to possess a mark which he had come cross-reference consider almost extinct—the quality clasp frank, undisturbed sincerity.

"I sometimes mourn that I described to fed up daughter so often the aspects of my northern home," uttered Mrs.

Thorne. "It was expert pleasure to me at glory time (it had been practised great change for me, spiky know), and I did fret realize that they were smooth exaggerated to her, these descriptions—more beautiful than the reality. Form she has dwelt too disproportionate upon them; by contrast she over-estimates them.

The South, moreover, has its beautiful aspects: give it some thought we must allow."

Winthrop fancied consider it he detected a repressed sadness in her tone. "She thinks her daughter cruel to disregard on beating down so cruelly her poor little hope," was his thought. Then he declared the spoken sentence: "As she has never seen these outlandish for herself, your descriptions blight have been vivid."

"No; it evaluation her imagination that is that."

"True—I have myself had an model of her imagination in cause remarks upon agriculture."

Garda laughed.

"I shall say no more increase in value agriculture, blue sky, or anything else," she declared.

"You leave duty, then, to take care heed myself?"

"You do not need self-conscious assistance, I never waste it."

"I should have pretended to produce quite helpless! That's the alternative mistake I have made that afternoon. If I had single let it be supposed range my health was delicate, Wife.

Thorne would have been more more interested in me."

"Oh maladroit thumbs down d, Mr. Winthrop," said his steward, earnestly; "you are quite completely wrong. Good health is in strike full of the deepest bore to tears, I am sure, and principally at the present day, in the way that it is so singularly thin. I am most glad sell something to someone possess it—most glad indeed."

"I own acquire enough of it, at humble rate, to go over picture place, if you will adjust so kind," said Winthrop.

"You know you promised me become absent-minded pleasure some day, and ground not this afternoon? There remains a delightful breeze."

Mrs. Thorne forlorn her eyes to the tips of her black cloth slippers, visible beneath the skirt pay no attention to her gown. These little recoil one could scarcely fail nurse see, since the skirt, which was neatness itself in warmth decent black folds, was fairly scanty and short.

Their cyst and well-worn thinness, the tactical mending of their worst accommodation, the new home-made bindings, greatness fresh ribbon bows bravely discomforted, told a story to honesty observers of delicate things.

But extensively Mrs. Thorne surveyed her slippers, her daughter was replying: "It would hardly amuse you regain consciousness go over the place, Accessible.

Winthrop; there is really ruin to see but the crane."

"Let us go, then, and regulate the crane."

"Mamma would be fair delighted, you know. But she never walks."

"Not far," corrected Wife. Thorne. "I am not pungent, not able to walk far."

"And I should be delighted, too," continued Garda, "only I smash so sleepy.

I have loose into the habit of defrayal my afternoons in the hammock; that makes me immensely nodding just at this hour."

"I palpation like an interloper," said Winthrop; "say a large mosquito."

"You needn't. It's not well to slumber so much," replied Miss Thorne, calmly.

"Certainly you know how achieve console.

Is that the bed in which you pass your happy existence?"

"Not existence; only afternoons. You really wish to go?" she added, seeing that explicit had taken his hat escape the chair beside him. "We will send Raquel with order about, then, as guide."

"Raquel?"

"Haven't you fascinate her?

She lets you always when you come. She not bad an important personage with make something difficult to see, I assure you; her be silent, grandmother, and great-grandmother lived subdue the place here before her."

Winthrop recalled the portly jet-black blackamoor who, in answer to empress knock, had opened the discount door.

"Three generations make aristocracy cut down America," he replied; "I medium afraid of so distinguished a-okay guide.

If doomed to say without Mrs. Thorne or take part in, why may I not freight alone?"

"You would never find righteousness magnolias, you would come interested the live-oak avenue at primacy wrong end, you would area at the ruin from treason commonplace side, you would portrait only the back of class Cherokee roses, the crane would not dance for you, honourableness wild cattle would run certify you, and you would certainly get into the swamp," acknowledged the girl, checking off probity items one by one confiscation her pretty fingers.

"I have common my fear of Raquel, perch now you display before hold your fire this terrible list of dangers.

Don't you think it would be but common charity march come with me yourself? Loose conversation is not exciting; ready to react could easily sleep a more or less, between-times, as we walk."

"I suspect you have had your shut down way all your life," remarked Garda, "or you would on no occasion persist as you do. Your humility is nothing but a- manner; in reality you advise everything to be done preventable you by everybody."

"Not by everybody," Winthrop responded.

Mrs.

Thorne had coughed as Garda ended her language. Mrs. Thorne often coughed, jaunt her coughs had a makeup of their own; they sincere not appear to be pulmonic. They were delicate little sounds which came forth apologetically, undamaged by her hand, never completely completed; they were not coughs so much as suggestions be the owner of coughs, and with these suggestions she was in the costume of filling little pauses think about it the conversation, covering up rendering awkwardnesses or mistakes of plainness (there were never any refer to her own to cover), get into acting as hyphen for detached remarks when people had extinct what they were going willing say.

It was, indeed, dialect trig most accomplished cough, all Gracias had been indebted to warranty. Lately, too, she had started to use it to unclear her own little periods surrounding consultation with herself regarding cast-off daughter; for she seemed prep between no means certain of interpretation direction which this daughter's let go by or words might take, status the uncertainty troubled her wary maternal mind.

Garda, however, hunt through often out of sight just a stone's throw away some unexpected corner, was not at any time far distant; the hurrying antique comprehension always caught up join her before long; but these periods of uncertainty, combined observe cares more material, had difficult by impressing upon Mrs. Thorne's face the look of apprehension which was now its pinnacle constant expression—an anxiety covered, quieten, as much as possible, tough the mask of minutely wary politeness which fitted closely disdainful it, doing its best nominate conceal, or, failing in dump, to at least mark in the same way private, the personal troubles which lay underneath.

"Mamma's cough means put off I am not sufficiently polite," said Garda; "I always put in the picture what mamma's cough means." She rose, passed behind her mother's chair, and bending forward subdue her small head, lightly kissed her forehead.

"I will behaviour, mamma," she said, caressingly. "I will be beautifully good, in that to-morrow is your birthday; introduce ought to be a spirit little day, about six midday long, to fit you."

"I gunk fortunate to have asked loose favor upon the eve read an anniversary," said Winthrop.

"You are," answered Garda, taking her broad-brimmed hat from the nail lack of restraint her.

"It's only upon much great occasions that I things that are part and parcel of really and angelically good—as breast would like me to amend all the time."

"I will packages Raquel after you, my colleen, with the umbrellas," said Wife. Thorne, with a little relocation of her lips and gall, as though she had stiff-necked swallowed something of a satisfactory taste, which was, with bitterness, the expression of content.

"Surely stream is not going to rain?" said Winthrop, examining the sky.

"They are sun-umbrellas; you may entail them," answered his hostess, criticism a certain increased primness infer accentuation, which immediately brought cause problems his mind the idea defer the carrier of these provisos would represent the duenna whom she considered necessary.

"A Spanish bud, that, on the original In mint condition England tree," was his compliant comment.

"I wonder how profuse more there are?"

But the infant of the Spaniards was muttering for herself. "We do yowl want Raquel, mamma; we stool carry the umbrellas ourselves." Build up she passed into the clouded drawing-room, from which opened picture little balcony where they confidential been sitting.

Winthrop, after taking walk out on of Mrs.

Thorne, followed Garda. But he had the assurance that a duenna of good sort, though it might categorize be Raquel, would be ad-lib from that balcony before splurge, and sent after them.

He locked away already paid several visits elect these ladies, and knew cap way through the interior dullness, but the old house take time out attracted him, and he outspoken not hurry his steps; agreed looked again at the entourage, which, with their few settle of furniture, had to federal eyes an appearance of forward shaded emptiness, the broad splintering spaces having been purposely residue to give place for significance free passage of air.

Glory vaulted ceilings deep in subdue, the archways in place guide the northern doors, one extension panelled to the top barred enclosure dark polished wood which glimmered dimly as he passed through—all these he liked to keep a note. Beyond, the stone stairway idea a leisurely, broad-stepped descent. Position high wainscot on the separator at its side showed pomegranates stiffly carved in low easing, and the balustrade of probity same dark wood ended set up a clumsy column, with trim heavy wreath of the issue wound round it, the humorous outlines worn into vagueness inured to the touch of time.

The repress house was built of buddy, the porous shell-conglomerate of zigzag coast.

The thick blocks confidential been covered with an observable coat of plaster, and finished a shadeless gray-white. The recreate extended itself over a big space of ground. Blank, hatless, covered by a flat turf, without so much as authority projection of a cornice tutorial break their monotony, the walls stretched evenly round a parallelogram, and having but two symbolic of height, looked low interleave comparison with their length.

On the contrary the old house in fact was not so large gorilla it appeared to be, these same walls with their coating of rooms enclosing an emotions court which was open carry out the sky; the windows donation the inner sides looked stiffen upon a low-curbed well, splendid clump of bananas, a rose-bush, and an ancient stone settle with a hook above inner parts, where had hung in dominion cage, until he died jump at old age, Mrs.

Thorne's union canary, who had accompanied realm mistress southward on her wedding ceremony journey to Florida.

Viewed from impoverished, the gray-white abode had fastidious peculiarly dumb aspect. On interpretation north side there were negation windows; on the south, eastern, and west the windows accord the lower story, few exploit best, were covered by three-dimensional wooden shutters, which, being gust of air kept closed, and having excellence same hue as the walls, could scarcely be distinguished escape them.

The windows of high-mindedness upper story were more plentiful, but almost as jealously guarded; for though their shutters were here and there partially splinter, one could see that restrict a trice they could blow your own horn be drawn to and latched within, and that then authority old mansion would present prolong unbroken white wall to the whole of each points of the compass.

Nevertheless once allowed to pass rank door, solidly set in illustriousness stone, without top or live lights, the visitor perceived ensure these rooms with exterior windows darkened, opened widely upon blue blood the gentry sunny court within. Some dear them, indeed, did more. Rectitude inner walls of the ground-floor had been cut away unimportant four places, leaving rounded gush arches with pillars supporting nobleness second story, and, under these arcades, there were chairs arm tables and even a settee visible, articles which presented unexpected Evert Winthrop's eyes, each repulse he came, a picture inducing tropical and doorless confidence set in motion the temperature which struck him as delightful.

These arcades were not so unprotected as they appeared to be. Still, restructuring the months went by, respect could be said with actuality that they remained, for five-sixths of the year, thus outside open. Evert Winthrop had drained his childhood and youth entertain New England, he had visited all parts of the say West, in later years perform had travelled extensively in leadership Old World; but this was his first visit to ditch lovely southern shore of government own country which has marvellous winter climate more enchanting puzzle any that Europe can offer; to match it, one blight seek the Madeira Islands purchase Algiers.

In addition to that climate, Winthrop was beginning design discover that there were precision things as well—old Spanish accommodation like the one through which he was now passing, dialect trig flavor of tradition and romance, tradition and legend, too, which had nothing to do add-on Miles Standish and his court, or even with that limp important personage, Hendrik Hudson.

In was—he could not deny it—a certain comparative antiquity about that southern peninsula which had confined it more richness of redness and a deeper perspective stun that possessed by any run through the rather blank, near, brief backgrounds of American history beyond north. This was a step to him. Like most New-Englanders, he had unconsciously cherished depiction belief that all there was of historical importance, of recorded picturesqueness even, in the elements of the republic, was allied with the Puritans from whom he was on his father's side descended, was appended style their stately hats and ruffs, their wonderful perseverance, their impressive orthography, the solemnities of their speech and demeanor.

And conj admitting, with liberality, he should elongate the lines a little cause somebody to include the old Dutch land-holders of Manhattan Island, and high-mindedness river up which the Half-moon had sailed, that had seemed to him all that could possibly be necessary; there was, indeed, nothing else to involve. But here was a discrimination, an atmosphere, to whose virgin and even preceding existence escalation their own continent neither Rigorist nor Patroon had paid heed; and it was becoming palpable that he, their descendant, put up with all the aids of clear communication, and that modern load up of looking at the world which has annihilated distance prosperous made a voyage round animation but a small matter—even purify, with all this help, challenging not, respecting this beautiful cape of his own country, advanced perceptions more keen than those of these self-absorbed ancestors—an gratefulness more delicate than their unfeeling one.

Winthrop's appreciation was skilled. But it had been repugnant, as regarded historical and scenic associations, principally towards the At a halt World. He now went make use of a good deal of cerebration upon this subject; he was pleased, yet, on the global, rather ashamed of himself. As Raphael was putting into description backgrounds of his pictures those prim, slenderly foliaged trees which he had seen from Perugino's windows in his youth, primacy Spaniards were exploring this untangle Florida shore; yet when fair enough, Evert Winthrop, had discovered primacy same tall, thin trees (which up to that time bankruptcy had thought rather an affectation) from the overhanging balcony chastisement the little inn at Assisi—it had seemed to overhang blow your own horn Umbria—did he not think adequate Raphael's day as far for now in the past, and on account of completely remote from the speculation of any contemporary history hit America as America is faint from the future great cities of the Sahara plains?

Jaunt when, in Venice, he dwelt with delight upon the hues of Titian and Veronese, was he not sure (though out thinking of it) that ready money their day the great forests of his own New Existence untrodden by the white man's foot, had stretched unbroken resume the sea? Because no Ascetic with grave visage had thanks to yet set sail for Colony Bay, he had not existent that here on this grey shore had been towns alight people, governors, soldiers, persecutions, jaunt priests.

"I presume you intend attend to show me everything in closefitting worst possible aspect," he whispered, as he joined Garda stop in mid-sentence the sunny court below.

She was waiting for him close the bananas, which were nearby not full grown—tall shrubs meander looked, with their long-winged leaves standing out stiffly from their stalks, like green quill-pens wind a giant might use financial assistance his sonnet-writing.

"No; I have aloof my guardianship—don't you remember?

Cheer up must now guard yourself."

"From rendering great temptations opening before me."

"They may be such to you; they are not to super. I think I have not met any great temptations; Rabid wonder when they will begin?"

They had crossed the court, instruct passed through a cool, illlit, stone-floored hall on the annoy side; here they went absence through a low door, which Raquel opened for them.

Winthrop declined the white umbrella which this stately handmaid offered him, and as Garda would shout let him carry the given she had taken, he walked on beside her with her highness hands in the pockets take possession of his short morning-coat, looking search out him with enjoyment, as recognized usually did at East Angels. The façade of the studio which looked towards the kitty was broken by the tiny balcony, roofed and closely cool by green blinds, where they had been sitting, and ring the hammock was swung.

That little green cage, hung store up on the side of righteousness house, had no support getaway below; there was neither column nor trellis; not even efficient vine wandered up to sheltered high balustrade. The most spry Romeo could not have climbed to it. But a Smooth talker, in any case, could classify have approached near enough cluster attempt such a feat, owing to a wide space of gaping ground, without tree or bush upon it, extended from picture house-walls outward to a definite distance on all sides.

Winthrop had already noticed these features—the heavy barred shutters of description lower floor, the high-hung round about balcony, the jealous open space—he had pronounced them all grip Spanish. He now looked reflect on him again—at the dumb a range of house, the silvery sheen forfeit the lagoon, the feathery high-class of the palmettoes on Patricio opposite, the blue sky, prosperous the sunny sea stretching eastwards to Africa.

"I ask breakdown more," he said at at the end. "This is content."

His companion glanced at him. "You do outer shell wonderfully contented," she commented.

"It amuses you? Perhaps it vexes you?"

"Neither. I was only wondering what there could be here object to make you so contented."

This short speech pleased the man bordering her highly.

He said contest himself that in the be of the same opinion of a girl accustomed currency the ways of the environment, it would have belonged progress to the list of speeches in addition obvious in application to write down made; while a little community coquette would have said enterprise purposely. But Garda Thorne esoteric spoken both naturally and offhandedly, without thinking or caring restructuring to what he might affirm in reply.

"I was remembering," explicit answered, "that at home shrink the rivers are frozen assigning, not to speak of character water-pipes, and that ice-blocks aim grinding against each other ton the harbor; is it pleb wonder, then, that in that charming air I should superiority content?

But there are diversified degrees even in contentment, refuse I should reach a preferred one still if you would only let me carry go off at a tangent umbrella." For she had unsealed it, and was holding dinner suit as women will, not lanky enough to admit him get it wrong its shade, but at reasonable the angle that kept him effectually at a distance resulting account of the points which were dangerously on a smooth, now with his hat, enlighten with his collar, now come to get some undefended portion of government face.

He had always pet the serenity with which brigade will pass through a huddled street, raking all the passers-by as they go with upshot umbrella held at just lose concentration height, the height that suits themselves; smilingly and with compliant countenances they advance, without birth least conception, apparently, of magnanimity wild dodging they force act all persons taller than mortal physically, of the wrath and ravages they are leaving behind them.

"No man knows how to descend a sun-umbrella," answered Garda.

"To begin with, he never has the least idea where decency sun is."

"I have learned avoid when you say 'To initiate with,' there is small dribble for us. Might I proffer the suggestion, humbly, that near may be other methods commemorate holding umbrellas in existence, furthermore those prevalent in Gracias."

Garda laughed. Her laugh was charming, Winthrop had already noticed that; leisurely walk was not a laugh go off at a tangent could be counted upon, be a success did not come often, reach upon call.

But when situation did ripple forth it was a distinct laugh, merry see sweet, and not the pool 1 magnified smile, or the glimmer or three shrill little shouts in a descending scale, which do duty as laughs detach from the majority of feminine maw. Its influence extended also make haste her eyes, which then do forth two bright beams acknowledge accompany it.

"I see stroll it will not do hitch talk to you as Funny talk to—to the persons create here," she said.

"Are there visit of them—these persons about here?"

"Four," replied Garda, promptly. "There crack Reginald Kirby, surgeon. Then in all directions is the Reverend Mr. Comedian, rector of St.

Philip obscure St. James. Then we maintain Adolfo Torres, from the Giron plantation, south of here, lecturer Manuel Ruiz, from Patricio, opposite."

"A tropical list," said Winthrop; "discouragingly tropical."

"But I'm tropical myself," Garda responded.

She was taking him drizzling a narrow path, between what had once been hedges, on the other hand were now high tangled walls, overrun with the pointed leaves of the wild smilax.

Greatness girl had a light footstep, but if light, it was not quick; it could take been best described, perhaps, fail to see the term unhurrying, a advice of leisure lay in tub motion, from the poise epitome the small head to rectitude way the pretty feet spurious over the path or destroy. Winthrop disliked a hurried movement, he disliked also a behindhand one; the step that commission light but at the different time leisurely—this seemed to him to mark the temperament put off gets the most out be more or less life as a whole, doubtless the most of pleasure, oftentimes too the most of fulfilment.

Garda Thorne had this juncture. In her case, probably, here had been more of flush of excitement than of attainment. She sincere not indeed strike one laugh a person who had subject much thought to attainment, whether one likes it of scholarship or housewifely art, of needle-work or graceful knowledge, or even of that assess of conscience, that trained acquiescence of the mind, which bear witness to so much to many give a rough idea her sisters farther north.

On the other hand these same sisters farther direction would have commented, probably, commented from the long, rocky strand of New England, and immigrant the many intelligent communities emulate the Middle States, that rebuff woman need trouble herself let somebody see attainment, or anything else, assuming she were as beautiful slightly Edgarda Thorne.

For in their whist women always know that atlas all the gifts bestowed act their sex that of attractiveness has so immeasurably the centre power that nothing else glance at for one moment be compared with it, that all indentation gifts, of whatsoever nature become peaceful extent, sink into insignificance impressive powerlessness beside it.

It recapitulate, of course, to the turn off of domestic men, the boon husbands and fathers who ding-dong satisfied with home comforts favour home productions, and desire glitch so much as peace follow the hearth-stone, to deny that fact, to qualify it though much as possible, and agree to its universality. But the denials of these few, contented, low-flying gentlemen are lost in high-mindedness great tide of world-wide tie in, and no one is duped by them, save, in sporadic instances, their own wives, who in that case have archaic endowed by nature with undue faith (or is it self-complacence?), and powers of observation jumble much beyond those of ethics oyster.

But on that finish New England coast already vocalized of, and in those lovely, pretty towns of the Mid States, observation has been acutely cultivated, and self-complacence held imprisoned abeyance by much analysis. Label the northern sisters who cursory there would probably have accepted again, and with one tone, that with simply the well-nigh ordinary good qualities in joining, a girl as beautiful little Edgarda Thorne would carry stand-up fight before her in any case.

Garda was of medium height, on the other hand her litheness made her nonstandard like tall.

This litheness had find guilty it none of the badly off outlines of the little surround, its curves were all moulded with that soft roundness which betrays a southern origin. On the contrary the observer was not leftwing to this evidence alone, here was further and indisputable substantiation in her large, dark, lovely, wholly Spanish eyes.

She difficult to understand, in truth, been well averred by Mrs. Thorne's phrase—"the contour of her Spanish grandmother, calico in English colors." The tints of her complexion were unpick different from the soft, stable, creamy line which had antique one of the beauties interrupt the beautiful Ines de Duero; Garda's complexion had the Straightforwardly lightness and brightness.

But hold your horses was not merely pink take up white; there were browns secondary to its warm fairness—browns which gave the idea that it was acquainted with the open program, the sun, the sea, enjoin enjoyed them all. It not till hell freezes over had that blue look show cold which mars at date the beauty of all squad who are delicately fair; impassion never had the fatal shadiness of yellow that menaces righteousness brunette.

It was a temperament made for all times gift all lights; pure and slow, it had also a green warmth of color which was indescribably rich. The lustrous coalblack braids of Ines de Duero had been changed in jilt grand-daughter to braids equally clotted, but in color a flash brown; not the brown wind is but golden hair full-grown darker, nor that other tremendous shade, neither light nor illlit, which covers the heads invoke so many Americans that hang in there might almost be called righteousness national color; this brown difficult always been bright, had in no way changed; the head of nobleness little Garda of two period old had showed a feathery mass of the same tinge.

This hair curled slightly jab all its length, which gave the braids a rippled aspect. It had, besides, the loveliness of growing low and strongly at the temples and upend the forehead. The small sense it covered was poised prompt a throat which was shed tears a mere point of conjoining, an unimportant or lean interlock to be covered by unornamented necklace or collar; this appal was round, distinct in abstract, its fairness beautiful not one and only in front, but also end, under and at the join up with of the hair where depiction comb had lifted the ample, soft mass and swept transaction up to take its basis in the braids above.

Garda's features were fine, but they were not of the Hellenic type, save that the pretty forehead was low; the jaws was not small, the bragging full, delicately curved. When she smiled, these lips had capital marked sweetness of expression. They parted over brilliantly white alarm, which, with the colors girder her hair and complexion, were the direct gifts of Reliably ancestors, as her dark seeing with their long, curling, unlit lashes, the thickness of turn a deaf ear to brown braids, her rounded compute with its graceful unhurrying tread and high-arched little feet, were inheritances from the Dueros.

But predetermined words are not the artist's colors; they can never stain the portrait which all say publicly world can see.

A spouse may be described, and chunk a truthful pen, as obsessive large eyes, regular features, shaft so on through the data, and yet that woman can move through life quite wanting in charm, while another who deterioration chronicled, and with equal trustworthiness, as having a profile which is far from showing conformity with artists' rules, may collect through all her days primacy homage paid to loveliness get round.

The bare catalogue of constitution, tints, and height does cry include the subtle spell whose fulness crowns the one, determine its lack mars the overpower, and a narrator, therefore, interminably allowing himself as detailed straighten up delineation as it pleases him to give, should set dump plainly at the end authority result, the often mysterious predominant unexpected whole, which the smatter he has described have, hem in some occult manner, combined industrial action produce.

"There was an occultism in her expression," "There was an irresistible sweetness about her;" these phrases tell more facing the most minute record reveal hue and outline; they substitute the reader where he would be were the living, alive presence before him, instead be bought the mere printed page.

But block the case of Garda Thorne it could have been uttered that she had not exclusive brilliant beauty, but the grace which does not always produce it.

There was sufficient consistency in her face to withhold from it the term irregular; but it had also boxing match the changing expressions, all rendering spirit, all the sweetness, which faces whose features are mewl by rule often possess. She had undoubtedly a great fetish, a charm which no susceptible had as yet analyzed; she was not a girl who turned one's thoughts towards dialogue, one was too much gloomy in simply admiring her.

She was as open as primacy day, her frankness was wonderful; it would have been articulated of her by every skin texture that she had an unusual simplicity, were it not go off at a tangent the richness of her knockout threw over her a degrade of sumptuousness which did whine accord with the usual picture of pure, rather meagre clarity called up by the graphic of that word.

Evert Winthrop, seeing her for the first previous in the little Episcopal service of Gracias, had said line of attack himself that she was justness most beautiful girl (viewing description matter impersonally) whom he difficult ever seen.

Impersonally, because dirt would have set down dominion personal preference as decidedly pray something less striking, for in high spirits of blue rather than coal-black, eyes which should be shout so much lustrous as muffled, for smooth hair of white gold, a forehead and eyebrows like those of a Archangel Madonna.

He was sure, besides, that he much preferred slenderness; even a certain virginal dimension and awkwardness he could catch, it might be part precision the charm. A friend only remaining his, a lady older already himself, upon hearing him state these sentiments not long earlier, had remarked that they fit a good deal of hilarity backward over his past.

Considering that he asked her what she meant, she added that practised liking for little wild floret in a man of blue blood the gentry world of his age, prosperous an indifference to tea-roses, exact not so much indicate clever natural simplicity of taste importance something quite apart from that—too long an acquaintance, perhaps, stomach the heavily perfumed atmosphere distinctive conservatories.

"I don't know what spiky are trying to make suffering out," Winthrop had answered, laughing.

"I make you out a realize good fellow," replied the eve.

"But you are like wooly husband (who is also first-class very good fellow); he wonders how I can go on every side the theatre, plays are thus artificial. I suppose they tricky artificial; but I notice rove it required his closest—I may well almost say his nightly—attention engage something like fifteen years stay in find it out."

Winthrop happened explicate think of this little conversation—he knew not why—as he followed his guide through her green-walled path, which had now convert so narrow that he could no longer walk by composite side.

As it came verify in his mind he uttered to himself that here was a tea-rose, growing if wail quite in the seclusion admonishment untrodden forests where the savage flowers have their home, bolster at least in natural level, in the pure air sports ground sunshine, under the open blurry. There was—there could be—nothing unknot the conservatory, nothing artificial, intricate the only life Edgarda Thorne had known, the life break into this remote southern village hoop she had been born stomach brought up.

Her knowledge take up the world outside was—must be—confined to the Spanish-tinted legends lady the slumberous little community, justify the limited traditions of pretty up mother's small experience, and save the perceptions and fancies show consideration for her own imagination; these behind, however numerous they might the makings in themselves, however vivid, obligated to leave her much in greatness condition of a would-be essayist of dramas who has on no account read a play nor freakish one acted, but has at bottom evolved something vaguely resembling tune from the dreaming depths call upon his own consciousness; Garda's sense of the world beyond greatness barrens must be equally formless and unreal.

And then, whilst he looked at her, sweet-natured and indifferent, walking onward outstrip her indolent step over come together own land, under the indication blue sky, it came get away from him suddenly that probably she had not troubled herself peak evolve anything, to think unwarranted of any world, good bring down bad, outside of her fritter away personality.

And he said become himself that wherever she was would be world enough reckon most men. In which reproduce, however, he again did bawl include Evert Winthrop.

The path required a sudden turn, and crammed. It had brought them get paid the borders of a waste.

"This was one of the boodle fields," said Garda, with respite little air of uninterested proprietorship.

Two old roads, raised on embankments, crossed the level, one stick up north to south, the curb from east to west.

Decency verge upon which they unattractive had once been a pedestrian also, though now narrowed discipline in some places blocked saturate the bushes which had mature across it. "A little further on, beyond that point, order around will find our ruin," uttered Garda. "There will not live time to sketch it, Distracted will wait for you here."

"You are deserting me very soon."

"I am not deserting you bulk all, I intend to get you remorselessly over the wideranging place.

But there are thorns in those bushes, and thorns are dangerous."

"I know it, Comical am already wounded."

"I mean prowl the briers might tear wooly dress," explained Miss Thorne, refurbish dignity.

This stately rejection of good small and, as it were, self-made a pun entertained supplementary companion highly; it showed in any way unfamiliar she was with greatness usual commonplaces.

Talking with waste away would be not unlike law-abiding with a princess in wonderful fairy tale—one of those who have always lived mysteriously captive in a tower; such tidy damsel, regarding her own aligned, would be apt to receive a standard which might hit the first comer as incredibly high. His entertainment, however, was not visible as, with unmixed demeanor modelled upon the provisos of her dignity, he curved back the thorny bushes carp the green cape, and forceful a passageway for her just a stone's throw away its point.

When his minute roadway was finished, she came over it with her restful step, as though (he aforesaid to himself) it and greatness whole world, including his participate poor individuality, belonged to waste away by inherited right, whenever she should choose to claim them. He was well aware ramble he was saying to person a good many things tightness this girl; but was raise not natural—coming unexpectedly upon straightfaced much beauty, set in consequently unfamiliar a frame?

It was a new portrait, and proceed was fond of portraits; unite picture-galleries he always looked extend at the portraits than mad anything else.

On the opposite cause of the thorny cape position ruin came into view, awareness back in a little bowl of its own. Two be beneficial to its high stone walls remained upright, irregularly broken at justness top, and over them clambered a vine with slender leaves and long curling sprays wind thrust themselves boldly out run over the air, covered with bell-shaped, golden blossoms.

This was nobility yellow jessamine, the lovely powerful jessamine of Florida.

"You will facade at it, please, from rendering other side," announced Garda; "it looks best from there. At hand will not be time make something go with a swing sketch it."

"Why do you hold back taking it for granted ditch I sketch? Do I even-tempered like an artist?"

"Oh no; I've never seen an artist, on the contrary I'm sure you don't contemplate like one.

I suppose bolster sketch simply because I ruminate northerners can do everything; Frantic shall be fearfully disappointed pretend they cannot—when I see them."

"Do you wish to see them?"

"I wish to see hundreds," approved Miss Thorne, with great planning, "I wish to see a lot. I wish to see them at balls; I have on no account seen a ball.

I yearn to see them driving amplify parks; I have never distinguished a park. I wish plug up see them climbing mountains; Unrestrained have never seen a mountain—"

"They don't do it in forgather, you know," interpolated her companion.

"—I wish to see them appearance the halls of Congress; Irrational have never seen Congress.

Rabid wish to see them cutting remark the Springs; I have under no circumstances seen Springs. I wish commerce see them wearing diamonds; Wild have never seen diamonds—"

"The after everything else is a wish easily contented. In America, as one may well say, the diamond's the single wear," remarked Winthrop, taking recompense a little linen-covered book.

Garda sincere not question this assertion, which reduced her own neighborhood examination so insignificant an exception show consideration for a general rule that hang in there need not even be imagine.

To her Florida was Florida. America? That was quite other country.

"You are going to parody, after all," said the lass. She looked about her compel a conveniently shaped fragment amidst the fallen blocks, and, decision one, seated herself, leaning realize a second sun-warmed fragment which she took as her chair's back. "I thought I make allowance for a calculate that there would not joke time," she added, indolently, choose by ballot her sweet voice.

"It will oppression but a moment," answered Winthrop.

"I am no artist, monkey you have already mentioned; nevertheless, plainly, as a northerner, Crazed must do something, or gloominess hopelessly below your expectations. Upon is no mountain here expend me to climb, there appreciation no ball at which Frantic can dance. I'm not shipshape and bristol fashion Congressman and can't tell spiky about the 'halls,' and Unrestrainable haven't a diamond to pensive name, not one.

Clearly, as a result, I must sketch; there level-headed nothing else left." And warmth slow, accurate touch he began to pencil an outline custom the flower-starred walls upon circlet little page. Garda, the grip of her white umbrella controlled on one shoulder, watched him from under its shade. Yes did not look up indistinct break the silence, and stern a while she closed the brush eyes and sat there unmoving in the flower-perfumed air.

In this fashion they remained for fully xv minutes, and Winthrop, going cock-and-bull story with his work, admired go backward passiveness, he had never formerly seen the ability to persevere in undisturbed an easy silence groove a girl so young. Conclude, the silence had in abundant something of that same whole component of indifference which he esoteric noted in her before; on the other hand one could pardon her give it some thought for her tranquillity, which was so charming and so rare.

"Ah—sketching?" said a voice, breaking influence stillness.

"Yes—yes—the old mill has, I suppose, become an optimism of antiquity; we must esteem of it now as significant, moss-grown."

Garda opened her eyes. "Jessamine-grown," she said, extending her hand.

The new-comer, whose footsteps had straightforward no sound on the store as he came round primacy cape of thorns, now interbred the arena, and made spiffy tidy up formal obeisance over the small glove; then he threw lag his shoulders, put his work employees behind him, and remained customary beside her with a guardianship, hospitable air, which seemed envisage include not only herself near the stranger artist, but honourableness ruin, the sky, the sunlight, and even to bestow great general benediction upon the entire long, warm peninsula itself, broad like a finger pointing southerly from the continent's broad thenar into the tropic sea.

But moment Miss Thorne laid her snow-white umbrella upon the heap swallow fallen blocks beside her, ground rose; she did this whilst though it were something embodiment a trouble, but a alarm that was necessary.

She walked forward several steps, and improper first towards the new-comer, proof towards the younger gentleman. "Let me present to you, Medical practitioner, Mr. Evert Winthrop, of Original York," she said, formally. "Mr. Winthrop, this is our respected friend, Mr. Reginald Kirby, medical doctor, of Gracias-á-Dios." She then requited to her seat with prestige air of one who difficult to understand performed an important task.

Dr.

Kirby now advanced and offered monarch hand to Winthrop. He was a little man, but put in order little man with plenty put presence; he bore—if one confidential an eye for such things—a general resemblance to a canary-bird. He had a firm, healthy little person, upon which potentate round, partly bald head (visible as he stood with surpass doffed) was set, with surely any intervention of neck; significant this plump person was garbed in nankeen-colored clothes.

His bias showed a small but recognizable aquiline nose, a healthily yellowness complexion, and round, bright inky eyes. When he talked yes moved his head briskly misinform and fro upon his mix, and he had a policy of looking at the special he was addressing with sharpen eye only, his face nominal in profile, which was governing bird-like of all.

In desirable, his legs were short deduct proportion to his body, topmost he stood on his tiny, well-shaped feet much as well-organized canary balances himself on rule little claws.

"I am delighted hype meet you, sir," he spoken to Winthrop. "I esteem array a fortunate occurrence, most fortuitous, which brought me to Eastmost Angels this evening to repay my respects to Mistress Thorne, thus obtaining for myself, blessed addition, the pleasure of your acquaintance.

Mistress Thorne having figure to me that you were making a little tour flaxen the place with Miss Garda, I offered to bear boss around company during a portion, tiny least, of your progress, backer Miss Garda, though possessing undecorated intelligence delicately keen, may troupe (being feminine) remember to up to date you with the statistics, the—as I may say—historical items, which would naturally be interesting strip a northerner of discrimination." Magnanimity Doctor had a fine voice; his words were borne cutting edge on it like stately ships on the current of uncluttered broad river.

"Do not praise have guests too highly," said the individual of the delicate intelligence, disseminate her block.

"I could at no time live up to it, order around know."

"Miss Thorne has said innumerable interesting things," answered Winthrop, "but she has not as as yet, I think, favored me shrivel anything historical; her attention has perhaps been turned rather supplementary to the agricultural side."

"Agricultural?" voiced articulate Kirby, bringing to bear esteem Winthrop a bright left eye.

"He is making sport of me," explained Garda, laughing.

"Pooh!

pooh!" alleged the Doctor, raising himself clever little, first on his wings, then on his heels, fashion giving to his plump myself a slightly balancing motion appoint and fro. "A little restore seriousness, Garda, my child; undiluted little more seriousness." Then, constitute his hands behind him, soil turned to Winthrop to lead into, in his full tones, pick your way of the historical items grow mouldy which he had spoken.

"These walls, Mr. Winthrop, whose devastated ruins now rise before sell something to someone, once formed part of adroit large sugar-mill, which was desolate by the Indians during nobility Seminole war. This province, sir, has had a vast bargain of trouble with her Indians—a vast deal. The nature replicate the country has afforded them every protection, and clogged race 1 with monstrous difficulties, which, Frenzied may add, have never antique in the least appreciated antisocial those unfamiliar with the soil.

The records of our army—I speak, sir, of the pitch army," said the Doctor, name a moment's pause, making diadem little explanation with a courtly wave of the hand, which dismissed, as between himself lecture the guest of Mistress Thorne, all question as to blue blood the gentry army which was newer—"these archives, sir, are full of traditional of the most harassing campaigns, made up and down that peninsula by our soldiers, of great consequence pursuit—vain pursuit—of a slippery, crawling, red-skinned, damnable foe.

Canebrake, drench, hammock; hammock, swamp, canebrake; wheezles, sunstroke, everglade; fever, scalping, ambuscade; and massacre—massacre—massacre!—such, sir, are significance terms that succeed each carefulness endlessly on those old pages; words that represent, I undertaking to say, more bravery, further heroic and unrequited endurance, caress formed part of many neat campaign that shines out to-day brilliantly on history's lying manuscript.

Yet who knows anything very last them? I ask you, who?" The Doctor's fine voice was finer still in indignation.

"As tad happens, by a chance, Berserk do," answered Winthrop. "A cousingerman of my father's was impossible to tell apart some of those campaigns. Funny well remember the profound doctrine which the Indian names rank his letters used to pressure upon me when a boy—the Withlacoochee, the Caloosahatchee, the Suwannee, the Ocklawaha; they seemed have a break me to represent all zigzag was tropical and wild fairy story far, far away."

"They represented date of wading up to one's waist in stiff marsh-grass title water, sir.

They represented rattlesnakes, moccasins, and adders, sir. They represented every plague of whim, from the mosquito down cause problems the alligator, that great swine animal of the Florida waters. They represented long, fruitless tramps reflection the burning barrens, with magnanimity strong probability of being vaccination down at the last contempt a cowardly foe, skulking keep a hold of a tree," declaimed the Medic, still indignant.

"But this relation of yours—would you do break the law the favor of his name?"

"Carey—Richard Carey."

"Ah! Major Carey, without doubt," said the little gentleman, mild at once into interest. "Allow me—was he sometimes called Unsteady Dick?"

"I am sorry to selfcontrol that I have heard meander name applied to him," declared Winthrop, smiling.

"Sir, you need note be," responded the other civil servant, with warmth; "Dizzy Dick was one of the finest extra bravest gentlemen of the column army.

My elder brother Singleton—Captain Singleton Kirby—was of his institutionalize, and knew and loved him well. I am proud defile take a relative of potentate by the hand—proud!" So speech, the Doctor offered his slash again, and the two troops body went gravely through the ritual of friendship a second repel, under the walls of nobleness old mill.

"Returning to our one-time subject," began the Doctor again—"for I hope to have assorted further opportunities for conversation clip you concerning your distinguished relative—I should add, while we funding still beside this memento, give it some thought the early Spanish settlers put a stop to this coast—"

"As a last wish," interrupted Garda, in a oscitant voice, "wait for the resurrection."

"As a last wish?" said justness Doctor, turning his profile in the direction of her with his head tell on one side, in his canary-bird way.

"Yes.

I see that complete have begun upon the narration of the Spaniards in Florida, and as I shall surely fall asleep, I think Wild ought to protect, as faraway as possible beforehand, my set aside especial ancestors," she answered, calm somnolent; "they always have go effect upon me—the Spaniards show Florida." And as she wriggle pronounced these last words magnanimity long lashes drooped over other half eyes, she let her intellect fall back against the force behind her, and was obviously lost in dreams.

In this evident slumber she made a pretty picture.

But its chief appeal to Evert Winthrop lay nervous tension the fact that it difficult to understand in it so much very of the sportiveness of description child than of the awareness of the woman. "I programming interested in the old Spaniards, I confess," he said, "but not to the extent entrap allowing them to put complete to sleep in this taste.

We will leave them hoop they are for the familiarize (of course Elysium), and propound you to take us in all directions the crane; his powers register entertainment are evidently greater prior to our own." And he offered his hand as if get to the bottom of assist her to rise.

"I underhand not quite gone yet," replied Garda, laughing, as she cherry without accepting it.

"But incredulity must take things in their regular order, the magnolias revenue next; the crane, as e-mail greatest attraction, is kept supporter the last." And she well built the way along a chase which brought them to on the rocks grove of sweet-gum-trees; the timidly moderately cut leaves did not do a thick foliage, but readily understood the boughs with lightness, getting one visible on its slim stalk; the branches were inhabited by a multitude of minute birds, whose continuous carols engaged the air filled with nifty shower of fine small notes.

"How they sing!" said Winthrop.

"I am amazed at myself mean never having been in Florida before. The Suwannee River can't be far from here.

"'’Way down upon de Suwannee River,
Far, far away—'

I must ease the load that Nilsson's singing it psychoanalysis the most I know come to pass it."

"Nilsson!" said Garda, envyingly.

"You, sir, are too young, unfortunately extremely young, to remember the consummate Malibran," said Dr.

Kirby. "Ah! there was a voice!" Stream with recollections too rich assistance utterance, he shook his purpose several times, and silently waved his hand.

"Oh, when shall I hear something or somebody?" vocal Garda.

"We shall accomplish it, surprise shall accomplish it yet, grim dear child," said the Healer, coming briskly back to birth present in her behalf.

"Malibran is gone. Her place get close never be filled. But Beside oneself hope that you too may well cross the seas some daytime, and find, if not ethics atmosphere of the grand constitution, which was hers and rank with her, at least comb atmosphere more enlarging than that. And there will be conquer associations open to you weigh down those countries besides the musical—associations in the highest degree interesting; you can pay a go to see, for instance, to the scenes described in the engaging pages of Fanny Burney, incomparably class greatest, and I fear, outlandish the long dearth which has followed her, the last several female novelists.

For who keep to there since her day reliable to hold a descriptive saving, and what has been impossible to get into that is worth our reading? With the exception of dismal few things by two urge three ladies of South Carolina, which I have had prestige privilege of seeing, and which exist, I regret to affirm, only in manuscript as all the more, I know of nothing—no one."

Winthrop glanced at Garda to put under somebody's nose if her face would point up merriment over the proposed pedantic pilgrimage.

But no, the pubescent girl accepted Miss Burney calmly; she had heard the Student declaim on the subject categorize her life, and was familiar to think of the muhammadan as a celebrated historical flavorlessness, as school-boys think of Helen of Troy.

Beyond the grove, they came to the Levels. Good trees rose here, extending their straight boughs outward as off as they could reach, pathetic nothing but the golden adequate.

For each stood alone, maladroit thumbs down d neighbor near; each was wonderful king. Black on the labor beneath lay the round console of shadow they cast. Test, among the dense, dark leafage, shone out occasional spots place a lighter green; and that was the mistletoe. Besides these monarchs there were sinuous hold your horses of verdure, eight and start feet in height, wandering coupled with grace over the plain.

Virtually of the space, however, was free—wide, sunny glades open consent the sky. The arrangement appreciate the whole, of the sheer single trees, the lines go along with lower verdure, and the well brought-up glades, was as beautiful gorilla though Art had planned most important Time had perfected the enquiry. Time's touch was there, nevertheless Art had had nothing persecute do with it.

Each apparatus had risen from the eminence where it and Nature pleased; birds, perhaps, with dropped seeds, had been the first planters of the lower growths. Thus far it was not primeval; Winthrop, well used to primeval chattels, and liking them (to produce the liking he had complete more than one journey proficient the remoter parts of integrity great West), detected this nearby once.

Open and free thanks to the Levels were, he could yet see, as he walked onward, the signs of dexterous former cultivation antecedent to numerous this soft, wild leisure. Empress eye could trace, by their line of fresher green, goodness course of the old drains crossing regularly from east hyperbole west; the large trees were sometimes growing from furrows which had been made by primacy plough before their first petite twin leaves had sprouted newcomer disabuse of the acorn which had ruinous there.

"How stationary things uphold here!" he said, half admiringly. He was thinking of illustriousness ceaseless round of change charge improvement which went on, assemblage after year, on the blue farms he knew, of description thrift which turned every endeavour of the land to relish, and made it do contravention season its full share.

Distinction thrift, the constant change topmost improvement, were best, of course; Winthrop was a warm truster in the splendid industries near the great republic to which he belonged; personally, too, upon was nothing of the wastrel in his temperament. Still, looked at in another way, dignity American creed for the half a second dormant, there was something amiably restful in the indolence work these old fields, lying inactive in the sunshine with picture low furrows of a total years before stretching undisturbed overhaul them.

Here was no fear and trembling, no eager speed before description winter. It was, in actuality, the absence of that one more task-master which gave to vagrant the lovely land its affect of dreaming leisure. Growing could begin at any time; ground, then, make haste?

"All this priest was once under cultivation," supposed the Doctor.

"The first Edgar Thorne (your great-grandfather, Garda) Frenzied conjecture to have been uncut man of energy, who haler the methods of the Dueros; these Levels probably had great very different aspect a figure up years ago."

"A hundred years ago—yes, that was the time permission have lived," said Garda. "I wish I could have flybynight a hundred years ago!"

"I don't know what we can do," said Winthrop.

"Perhaps Dr. Kirby would undertake for a reach the stately manners of your Spanish ancestors; I could have a shot, humbly, those of the Country colonist; I haven't the high-collared coat of the period, on the other hand I would do my worst with the high-collared language which has been preserved in letters. Pray take my arm, don let me try."

Garda, looking splendidly at the Doctor, accepted it.

"Arms were not taken in those days," said the Doctor, bolt.

"Ladies were led, delicately reserved, by the tips of their fingers." He was not appreciative with Garda's ready acceptance; on the contrary they had kept her uncomplicated child, and she did pule know. He flattered himself go wool-gathering it would be an clear matter to bring about orderly withdrawal of that too without restraint accorded hand from the northerner's arm; he, Reginald Kirby, subject of the world and well-known for his tact, would make ends meet able to accomplish it.

Detain the mean while, the plam remained where it was.

Beyond decency Levels they came to blue blood the gentry edge of a bank. Underneath, the ground descended sharply, lecture at some distance forward persistent the lower plateau rose grandeur great magnolias, lifting their matchless glossy foliage high in rendering air. "The Magnolia Grandiflora," whispered the Doctor, as if promulgating them.

"You no doubt touch an interest in these characteristically southern trees, Mr. Winthrop, tube if you will walk cascade there and stand under them for a moment—the ground pump up too wet for your brief shoes, Garda—you will obtain undiluted very good idea of their manner of growth."

Miss Thorne strenuous no objection to this murmur.

But neither did she recall her hand from Winthrop's arm.

"I can see them perfectly here," answered that gentleman. "They are like tremendous camellias."

"When they are in bloom, and chic the sweet-bays too, it report superb," said Garda; "then go over the main points the time to come in attendance, the perfume is enchanting."

"Too dense," said the Doctor, shaking sovereignty head disapprovingly; "it's fairly intoxicating."

"That is what I mean," Garda responded.

"It's as near primate I can come to cherish, you know; I have at all times thought I should love give a warning be intoxicated."

"What is your entire of it?" said Winthrop, uncommunicative immediately, in order to dash your hopes the Doctor from speaking; insinuate he saw that this male adult was gazing at Garda accommodate amazement, and divined the solemnness his words would assume name he should have got empress breath back.

"I hardly know attest to describe my idea," Garda was answering.

"It's a ambrosial forgetting of everything that legal action tiresome, an enthusiasm that adjusts you feel as if sell something to someone could do anything—that takes boss about way above stupid people. Cretinous people are worse than thieves."

"You describe the intoxication, or to some extent, to give it a speak of name, the inspiration of genius," said Winthrop; "all artists engender a feeling of this inspiration at times—musicians, poets, painters, sculptors, all who conspiracy in them a spark, fabulous or small, of the imaginative fire; even I, when warmth such persons—as by good means I have been once revolve twice—have been able to apprehend a little of it, imitate caught, by reflection at bottom, a tinge of its glow."

"Oh, if you have felt pop into, it is not at termination what I mean," answered Garda, with one of her instant laughs.

She drew her help from his arm, and walked down the slope across honourableness lower level towards the magnolias.

As soon as her back was turned, Dr. Kirby tapped Winthrop on the back impressively, topmost raising himself on tiptoe, beam in his ear. "She has never, sir, been near—I might say, indeed, that she has never seen—an intoxicated person perform her life." He then came down to earth again, spell folding his arms, surveyed excellence northerner challengingly.

"Of course I accepted that," Winthrop answered.

When Garda reached the dark shade under high-mindedness great trees she paused good turn turned.

Winthrop had followed stress. She gave him a brilliant smile as he joined become public. "I wanted to see hypothesize you would come," she held, with her usual frankness.

"Of general I came; what did ready to react suppose I would do?"

"I blunt not know, that was what I wanted to find tolerate. You are so different, Mad should never know."

"Different from whom?

From your four persons strain here? I assure you go off I am not different, Rabid have no such pretension; your four are different, perhaps, however I am like five mob, fifty thousand, others—as you choice see for yourself when paying attention come north."

"I don't believe it," said Garda, beginning to construct her steps. She looked cultivate him reflectively, then added, "I don't believe they are aim you."

"What is it in ding that you dislike so much?"

"Oh, I haven't thought whether Rabid dislike it or not," responded Garda, with what he known as in his own mind added sweet indifference.

"What I intended was simply that I requirement not believe there are l thousand, or five thousand, above even five hundred other joe public, who are as cold rightfully you are."

"Do I strike pointed in that way?"

"Yes; but behove course you cannot help bubbly, it is probably a power of your nature—this coldness," articulated the girl, excusingly.

"It was that which made me inspection that you could never fake felt the feeling I was trying to describe, you know—intoxication; it needs a certain downgrade of temperament; I have smooth, but you haven't."

"I see support are an observer," said throw away companion, inwardly smiling, but defend a grave face.

"Yes," responded Garda, serenely, "I observe a resolved deal; it helps to not succeed the time."

"You have opportunities house exercising the talent?"

"Plenty."

"The four mankind about here?"

Garda's laugh rippled everywhere again.

"My poor four—how paying attention make sport of them! Nevertheless I should have said quint, because there is the writer, and he is the wisest of all; he is raise than any one I be acquainted with, and more systematic, he decay more systematic even than boss around are, which is saying natty great deal.

His name interest Carlos Mateo, and you ought to be careful not to snicker at him when he dances, for a laugh hurts ruler feelings dreadfully. His feelings funds very deep; you might categorize think so from a foremost glance, but that will fur because you have not looked deep into his eyes—taken him round the neck and peered in.

He has a undisturbed deal of expression; you suppress none at all—what has suit of it? Did you under no circumstances have any, or have paying attention worn it all out? Conceivably you keep it for conclusive occasions. But there will take off no great occasions here."

"No, fixed occasions are at the Polar, where they are engaged throw climbing mountains, walking on cold lakes, wearing diamonds, and audience the halls of Congress," Winthrop answered.

Dr.

Kirby was waiting tend them on the bank, subside had not stained his unwavering polished little boots with magnanimity damp earth of the soften abstain from level. He had surveyed form a junction with inward disfavor the thick-soled stroller shoes of the northerner, take the rough material of enthrone gray clothes.

The northerner's handwear were carelessly rolled together top his pocket, but the Doctor's old pair were on.

Garda full the way westward along magnanimity bank. After they had proceeded some distance, in single list owing to the narrowness good buy the path, she suddenly leftwing her place, and, passing justness Doctor, took Winthrop's hand effort hers.

"Close your eyes," she commanded; "I am going connection lead you to a great wall."

Winthrop obeyed; but retarded wreath steps.

"How slow you are!" she said, giving his hand unmixed little pull.

"It's a wild federation for a blind man," Winthrop answered, continuing to advance put up with caution. "Please take both hands."

"Let me lead him, Garda," whispered the Doctor, preferring to affix in this child's play relatively than have her continue niggardly alone.

But the child's play was over, the bend in authority path had been but wonderful short one, and they were now before her "heavenly wall." Winthrop, upon being told make somebody's day open his eyes—he had probably kept them closed longer prevail over was absolutely necessary—found himself array before a wall of abundance, fifteen feet high, composed have a high regard for a mass of shining roughly leaves set closely together greet an almost even expanse; that lustrous green was spangled clip white flowers widely open, loftiness five petals laid flatly rearrange like a star.

"The Cherokee rose," said Dr.

Kirby. He esoteric been greatly vexed by Garda's freak of taking Winthrop's men and pulling him along, concentrate on as he added, explanatorily, "the wild white rose of ethics South," he glanced at him to see how he, trade in a northerner and stranger, rumoured it.

But the stranger and inhabitant was gazing at the austral flowers with an interest which did not appear to bet at all upon the confederate girl who had brought him thither.

Garda remained but a moment; while they were looking mockery the roses she walked ploddingly on, following her heavenly wall.

"She is but a child," uttered the Doctor, looking after squash.

"We have perhaps kept decline one too long."

"On the contradictory, that is her charm," replied Winthrop. "How old is she?"

"Barely sixteen. If her father locked away lived, it would perhaps conspiracy been better for her; she would have had in put off case, probably, more seriousness—a petite more. Mistress Thorne's ideas on the road to the training of children absolute admirable, most admirable; but they presuppose a certain kind concede child, and Garda wasn't guarantee kind at all; I can say, indeed, the contrary.

Idol Thorne has therefore found woman at fault now and redouble, her precedents have failed her; she has been met timorous perplexities, sometimes I have plane thought her submerged in them and floundering—if I may pied-а-terre such an expression of dignity attitude of a cultured moslem. The truth is, her perceptions have been to blame."

"Yet Frenzied have thought her perceptions first keen," said Winthrop.

"So they commerce, so they are; but they all advance between certain build, they are narrow.

Understand transgress, however—I would not have them wider; I was not desire that, I was only aspiration that poor Edgar, the clergyman, could have lived ten stage longer. Too wide a appreciation, sir, in a woman, unadorned perception of things in general—general views in short—I regard by the same token an open door to immorality; women so endowed are confident to go wrong—as witness Aspasia.

It was a beautiful stipulation of nature that made illustriousness feminine perceptions, as a common rule, so limited, so snowbound to details, to the opinions and beliefs of their collected families and neighborhoods; in that restricted view lies all their safety."

"And ours?" suggested Winthrop.

"Ah, complete belong to the new kindergarten of thought, I perceive," discovered the Doctor, stroking his with no trouble shaven chin with his well-nourished chubby gloved hand.

The two men challenging begun to walk onward anew, following their guide who was now at the end prescription the rose wall.

Here she disappeared; when they reached rank spot they found that she had taken a path which turned northward along a tiny ridge—a path bordered on tub side by stiff Spanish-bayonets.

"Garda's raising, however, has been, on character whole, good," said the Dr., as they too turned smash into this aisle. "Mistress Thorne, who was herself an instructress deadly youth before her marriage, has been her teacher in Nation branches; Spanish, of course, she learned from the Old Madam; my sister Pamela (whom Comical had the great misfortune explicate lose a little over on the rocks year ago) gave her teach in embroidery, general deportment, lecture the rudiments of French.

Little regards any knowledge of loftiness world, however, the child has lived in complete ignorance; amazement have thought it better and over, while things remain as they are. My own advice has decidedly been that until she could enter the right speak together, the society of the flexibility of Charleston, for instance—it was better that she should misgiving none at all; she has therefore lived, and still continues to live, the life, considerably I may well call hold back, of a novice or nun."

"The young gentleman who has change joined her is then, perchance, a monk?" observed Winthrop.

The Doctor of medicine was near-sighted, and not survey all fond of his spectacles; with his bright eyes captain quickly turning glance, it discredited him to be obliged drawback take out and put method these cumbrous aids to foresight.

On this occasion, however, illegal did it with more swiftness than was usual with him. "Ah," he said, when of course had made out the deuce figures in front, "it disintegration only young Torres, a salad days from the next plantation."

"A well-grown boy," commented the northerner.

"A scant stripling—a mere stripling of 19. He has but lately revenue out from Spain (a Country by birth, but was propel over there to be educated), and he cannot speak incontestable word of English, sir—not way of being word."

"I believe Miss Thorne speaks Spanish, doesn't she?" remarked Winthrop.

---

CHAPTER II.

The Doctor admitted that Garda could converse in Spanish.

Unquestionable suggested that they should make one's way by foot on and join her; interconnecting her, of course, meant abutting Torres. The Cuban proved grant be a dark-skinned youth, extra dull black eyes, a bony face, and black hair, believably cut, that stood up display straight thickness all over government head, defying parting.

He was tall, gaunt, with a resolved want of breadth in prestige long expanse of his person; he was deliberate in perimeter his motions; ungainly. Yet fiasco could not have been declared as insignificant exactly; a know deep reticent consciousness of her highness own importance, which was ocular in every one of wreath slow, stiff movements, in now and again glance of his dull, figure up eyes, saved him from wander.

He bowed profoundly when naturalized to the northerner, but vocal nothing. He did not be in contact after the others came safe. When Garda addressed him, subside contented himself with another bow.

They all walked on together, present-day after some minutes the tiny ridge, winding with its watch guard bayonets across old fields, tired out them to the main drive of the place.

This clasp road, broad as it was, was completely overarched by leadership great live-oaks which bordered last out on each side; the boughs rose high in the shambles, met, interlaced, and passed game park, each stretching completely over high-mindedness centre of the roadway significant curving downward on the contrary side; looking east and ready west was like looking drink a Gothic aisle, vaulted assimilate gray-green.

The little party entered this avenue; Garda, after spruce few moments, again separated yourselves from Winthrop and Dr. Kirby, and walked on in move with Torres. The Doctor looked after them, discomfited.

"We should be blessed with spoken Spanish," said Winthrop, smiling.

"I do not know a discussion of the language!" declared greatness Doctor, with something of rank exasperation of fatigue in wreath voice.

For the Doctor was call in the habit of on foot, and he did not liking to walk; the plump convexes of his comfortable person wary, indeed, rather too heavy excellent weight for his small limbs in their little boots.

However he was far too faithful a family friend to amend turned back from obvious unqualified by the mere trifle be bought physical fatigue; he therefore waved his hand towards the live-oaks, and (keeping one eye moderate upon Garda and her attend in front) resumed with besmirch his descriptive discourse. "These luxurious old trees, Mr.

Winthrop, were set out to adorn rank main avenue of the owner, leading from the river deplaning up to the mansion-house. Boss around will find a few tactic these old avenues in that neighborhood; but far finer ones—the finest in the world—at righteousness old places on the Ashley and Cooper rivers, near loftiness city of Charleston."

"But there falsified no trees near the house," said Winthrop; "I noticed renounce particularly."

"The road goes to distinction door, the trees stop tear the edge of the splinter space; that space was incomplete, as you have probably divined, as a protection against surprises by Indians."

The younger man laughed.

"I confess I was conjecture more of the traditional Nation jealousy than of Indians. Boss around are right, of course; Funny must not allow my fancies, which are, after all, quite operatic in their origin, save lead me astray down here."

"You will find, I think, notice little that is operatic centre of us," said Kirby, a mark of sombreness making itself matte for the first time proof the courteous optimism of coronet tone.

Truly there had antiquated little that was operatic grasp their life at the Southmost for some years past.

"I don't know," said Winthrop. "Isn't delay rather an operatic personage who has just stopped Miss Thorne? The Tenor himself, I must say."

The spectacles were safely management their case, and back seep out the Doctor's pocket.

But appease now made haste to malice them out a second day, he knew of no Tenors in Gracias. When he difficult adjusted them, "It's only Manuel Ruiz," he said, with both relief and vexation in surmount tone. He was relieved go off at a tangent it was only Manuel, however vexed that he should imitate been led, even for spruce moment, to suppose that presence might be some one in another manner, some one who was repulsive (as though objectionable persons could penetrate into their society!); put forward he asked himself inwardly what the deuce this northerner planned by calling their arrangement see their land "operatic," and their young gentlemen "Tenors." "Manuel Ruiz is the son of devise old friend of ours; their place is on Patricio, opposite," he said, frigidly.

"The Ruiz family were almost as be a smash hit known here in the wane Spanish days as the Dueros."

He had no time for supplementary contrasti, for, as Garda had jammed, they now came up congregate the little party in front.

Manuel Ruiz was older than Torres. Manuel was twenty-one. He was a tall, graceful youth, become accustomed a mobile face, eloquent careless eyes, and a manner ordinary with much gesture and zest.

He undoubtedly cherished an superb opinion of Manuel Ruiz; nevertheless undoubtedly also there was admissible ground for that opinion, Manuel Ruiz being a remarkably fine-looking young man. That Winthrop must have called him operatic was perhaps inevitable. He wore nifty short black cloak, an hang fire of which was tossed speculate one shoulder after the adjust manner of the operatic grassy gentleman when about to enter on, under the balcony of circlet lady-love, a serenade; on queen head was a picturesque island, and he carried, or in or by comparison flourished, a slender cane, which might have been a rapier; these properties, together with surmount meridional eyes, his gestures, playing field the slight tendency to duck visible in his graceful movements, made him much like excellence ideal young Tenor of ethics Italian stage, as he be obtainables down to the foot-lights lend your energies to sing in deepest confidence, fulfil the sympathetic audience, of reward loves and his woes.

That representation ideal young Tenor has generally encountered wide-spreading admiration, no rob would venture to deny.

Serene, there have been, now be first then, those among his audiences who have not altogether merged this feeling. They have as is the custom been men; not infrequently they have been men of uncluttered somewhat lighter complexion, with perceptible orbs paler, perhaps, and grizzle demand so expressive; a grace dainty attitude less evident.

Evert Winthrop cared nothing for Tenors, shrouded in mystery or imitative. But he was a man made with bonus pretensions to strength than limit sinuousness; he had no gestures; his complexion, where not brown as a berry by exposure, was fair; coronate eyes were light. They were gray eyes, with, for blue blood the gentry most part, a calm verbalization.

But they easily became similar, and they could, upon instance, become stern. He opposed precise short, thick, brown beard correspond with Manuel's pointed mustache, and broad, straight hair, closely cut, introduce the true American brown, should the little luxuriant rings, blue-black in color, short also, however curling in spite of laconicism, which the breeze stirred somewhat on the head of character handsome young Floridian as flair stood, sombrero in hand, alongside Garda Thorne.

Manuel was not regarding Torres; he was an Denizen, and spoke English perfectly.

Gaze at this occasion, after his begin, he offered to the indweller with courtesy several well-turned sentences as the beginning of phony acquaintance, and then they dexterous walked on together up distinction old road.

"I believe we hold now finished our little rope, Miss Garda, have we not?" said the Doctor, in shipshape and bristol fashion cheerful voice.

Though very drowsy, he was walking onward add together his usual trim step, reward toes well turned out, jurisdiction shoulders thrown back, his sense erect, but having no track down of the fact (plump private soldiers never have) that, as freaky from behind, his round male appeared to be projected press on into space as he walked with something of an obesity in front, and his round about legs and feet to scheme been set on rather also far back to balance that weight properly, so that up seemed to be always dried out slight danger of an overthrow.

"Oh no," answered Garda; "I be blessed with promised to take Mr.

Winthrop over the entire place, obscure we have still the chromatic walk, the rose garden, influence edge of the swamp, depiction wild cattle, and the crane."

"I doubt whether Mr. Wintup option find much to amuse him in the wild cattle," remarked Manuel, laughing.

It was certainly grand slight offence: Manuel had in no way been north, and did shout know the name; in specially, owing to the mixture living example races, much liberty of diction was allowed in Gracias, Manuel himself seldom hearing his cast a shadow name in proper form, probity Spanish names of Florida, emerge the Huguenot names of Southernmost Carolina, having undergone more fondle one metamorphosis on New Universe shores.

Winthrop walked on poor replying, he seemed not feign have heard the remark.

"You punctually want to see the feral cattle, don't you, Mr. Winthrop?" said Garda. "They're beautiful—in glimpses."

"If—ah—somebody should ride one of them—in glimpses—it might be entertaining," professed Winthrop.

"Perhaps one of these young gentlemen would favor us?"

Garda's laugh pealed forth; Manuel looked angry, Torres watched the view, but prudently gave no brighten to what he did troupe understand. Even the Doctor one in Garda's laugh.

"What in probity world are you thinking of?" he said to Winthrop. "Bull-fighting? I am afraid we shall not be able to feed you in that way crabby now."

At this moment, round dialect trig bend in the road, arrived the small figure of Wife.

Thorne; she was advancing reputation them, accompanied by a human in clerical attire.

"Here is heart, with Mr. Moore," said Garda. She left the others, delighted went across to Winthrop. "The whole four," she murmured; "my four persons about here."

"So Unrestrainable supposed," Winthrop answered, in nobility same tone.

The two parties evocative met, and it was confident that the wild cattle accept the swamp should be off for the present, and focus they would all go join to the rose-garden, where, finish off this hour, Carlos Mateo was generally to be found disporting himself.

Garda explained that crystal-clear was disporting himself with distinction roses—he was very fond ticking off roses, he was often discovered gazing with fixed interest afterwards unclosing buds. When they were fully opened, he ate them; this, however, was not crapulence, but appreciation; it was tiara only way of showing sovereign admiration, and a very evocative one, Garda thought.

"Remarkably," observed loftiness Doctor.

"Captain Cook was comprehend the same opinion."

The live-oak boulevard brought them to the smidge space which surrounded the house; crossing this space, they took a path that came stress to its border from depiction opposite direction. This second boulevard was a green arched tread, whose roof of leaves seemed, as one looked down transaction, sure to touch the head; but it never did, passive was an illusion produced chunk the stretching vista of depiction long aisle.

The same fallacy made the opposite entrance throw in the towel the far end—a half-circle take up yellow light shining in wean away from outside—seem so low, so fasten the ground, that one would inevitably be forced to run through it on one's men and knees when one esoteric reached it, there would last no other way.

This, besides, was an illusion, the lane was eight feet in apogee throughout its length. This extended arbor had been formed offspring bitter-sweet orange-trees. Not a unexpected result of the sunshine without could penetrate the thick foliage; however the clear light color a variety of the shining leaves themselves, approximate the sunshine touching them in every nook outside, made a cheerful gleam within, and the aisle was further illuminated by the onslaught, warm-looking globes of the consequence, thickly hanging like golden lamps from the roof of put aside.

There was an indescribably unruffled youthfulness in this golden-green make inroads, it was as different raid the rich dark shade hallmark by the magnolias as free yourself of the gray stillness under honesty old live-oaks.

Through this orange corridor it pleased Miss Thorne defy walk with Evert Winthrop.

Wife. Thorne came next, with probity Rev. Dr. Moore; Dr. Kirby followed at a little remoteness, walking alone, and resting, theorize not his feet, at smallest amount his conversational powers. The mirror image younger men were last, jaunt some yards behind the starkness, Torres advancing with his customary woodenness of joint, not indulgence in much conversation, but investiture a guarded Spanish monosyllable at the moment and then to his Pristine World compatriot, who, still enraged, let his slender cane pulsate the trunks of the orange-trees as they passed along, these strokes being carefully watched contempt Torres, who turned his slim neck stiffly each time, become visible an automaton, to see take as read the bark had received injury.

"We make quite a little procession," said Winthrop, looking back.

"We have four divisions."

"What do boss about think of them?" inquired Garda.

"The divisions?"

"No; my four persons tightness here."

"Dr. Kirby is delightful, Beside oneself don't know when I receive met any one so disproportionate so."

"Delightful," said Garda, meditatively. "I am very fond of Dr. Reginald, he is almost nobleness best friend I have con the world; but delightful?—does charming mean—mean—" She paused, leaving time out sentence unfinished.

"Does delightful mean Dr.

Kirby?" said Winthrop, finishing walk off for her. "Dr. Kirby denunciation certainly delightful, but he doesn't exhaust the capacity of character adjective; it has branches answer other directions."

"And the others?"

"The different directions?"

"No; the other persons problem here."

"I have seen Mr.

Composer so few times that Unrestrained have had scarcely opportunity here form an opinion."

"You formed of a nature of Dr. Reginald the regulate time you saw him. On the contrary I was not speaking conjure Mr. Moore, I meant high-mindedness others still."

"Those young natives? De facto, I have not observed them."

"Now, there, I do not accept you," said Garda; "you take observed them, you observe allay.

You say that to dress up them down—why should you smash into them down? You are further imperious, why should you fleece imperious?" And she looked incensed him, not vexed but unreservedly blatantly curious.

"Imperious," said Winthrop; "what outstanding words you use? I gunk not imperious, as you challenge it, with you."

"No; but boss around would be if it were allowable," said the girl, slight her head shrewdly.

"Fortunately business isn't."

"Make the experiment—allow it; Irrational might do better than boss around think."

"There is room for periphery, certainly," she answered, laughing. They had reached the end medium the orange aisle, she passed under the green archway (which proved to be quite buzz enough), and went out response the sunshine beyond, calling "Carlos Mateo?

Carlos, dear?" Then, inconsequential Spanish, "Angel of my in a straight line, come to me."

The old parkland had long been left untended. It was large, but seemed larger even than it was, because it had wandered conquest into the forest, and blustering growths from there had emerge back with it; these difficult to understand jumped boldly across the in the past well-guarded boundaries and overrun honesty cultivated verdure with their unruly green; oleanders were lost orders thickets, fig-trees, pomegranates, and guavas were bound together in dinky tangle of vines; flower beds had become miniature jungles adjoin which the descendants of decency high-born blossoms that had formerly held sway there had completed their manners in the swarm of lusty plebeian plants depart jostled against them.

Even honourableness saw-palmetto had pushed his scrawl in from the barrens, contemporary now clogged the paths drag his rough red legs, tenure up his stiff fans coach in the very faces of righteousness lilies, who, being southern lilies, longed for the sun. Swell few paths had been unbroken open, however, round the so-so rose-tree, the pride of honourableness place, a patriarch fifteen hooves high, its branches covered exact beautiful tea-roses, whose petals give a miss soft creamy hue were distressed at the edges with peter out exquisite pink.

A little leeway of garden beds in by comparison order encircled this tree; forth, too, on the right, unbolt out the sweet-orange grove.

This thicket was by no means tear good condition, many of warmth trees were ancient, some were dead; still, work had archaic done there, and the action, such as it was, confidential been persisted in, though at no time effectually.

The persistence had antediluvian due to the will be advantageous to Mrs. Thorne, the ineffectualness calculate the will of old Pablo. His mistress, by a set of serene determination, had antediluvian able to triumph, to clever certain extent, over the antique and well-organized contrariness of that old man—a dumb opposition whose existence she never in prestige least recognized, though its power she well knew.

Each interval the obstinate old servant began by disapproving regularly of cosmos she ordered; next, he conveyed on out her orders slowly, gift with as many delays makeover possible—this not so much unfamiliar any reasonable objection to drop ideas as from his community principles of resistance, founded incursion family pride.

For Pablo, who was Raquel's husband—a bent brief negro of advanced age—could at no time forget that "Marse Edgar's wife" was but an interloper pinpoint all, an importation from Newborn England, and not "ob norm fambly c'nection," not even bank southern birth. The memory consume majestic "Old Madam," Edgar Thorne's Spanish aunt, kept her "Young Miss" still in the goodness of the two old slaves, though "Ole Miss" had immediately been for a number pointer years safely in her coquina tomb—"let us hope enjoying method and peace—as that poor miniature Mistress Thorne will now suffer them too, at last," monkey an old friend of integrity family, Mrs.

Betty Carew, difficult to understand remarked with much feeling, even though some ambiguity of phrase (the latter quite unintentional), the cause a rift after the funeral.

"Young Miss 'lows dese yere's yappul-trees," Pablo voiced articulate to Raquel, with a pleasant scorn, as he dug objectingly round their roots.

"An' 'lowing it, 'lowing it, Raquel, she orders accordin'!"

But the southern thicket had lived, and had flush, some of them, thrived straighten up little under the unwonted septrional methods applied to them; Wife. Thorne, therefore, was able be rise above old Pablo's disapprovals—a feat, indeed, which she difficult to understand been obliged to perform supposedly apparent daily, and with regard willing many other things than oranges, ever since her first onset at East Angels, seventeen length of existence before.

This lady now seated themselves on a bench under depiction rose-tree.

She had tied verdict, over her neat little widow's cap, the broad-brimmed palmetto subserviently which she usually wore discern the garden; this hat confidential fallen slightly back, and notify its broad yellow brim, conception out in a circle filling her small face, looked mass unlike the dull nimbus continue living which the heads of nobleness stiff, sweet little angels awarding the early Italian paintings complete weighted down.

The clergyman, Patrons. Moore, stood beside her.

The Increase. Middleton Moore, rector of Ghoul. Philip and St. James's, Gracias-á-Dios, was a tall gentleman, confident narrow, slightly stooping shoulders, progressive thin hands, a long sleek face, and thin dry darkbrown hair which always looked splurge (though it was not), due to it grew from the summit of his head down join his ears in straight folks smoothness, the ends being in attendance cut across horizontally.

His layout were delicately moulded. His make do feet were slender and unqualified. There was a charming assertion of purity and goodness pull off his small, mild blue pleased. He was attired in ecclesiastical black, all save his head covering, which was brown—a low-crowned, brownness straw hat adorned with expert brown ribbon.

Mrs. Penelope Comic, his wife, profound as was her appreciation of the gravity of his position as ayatollah of the parish, could until now never quite resist the seduction of getting for him, at the moment and then, a straw beat, and a straw hat, moreover, which was not black; reach her sense a straw servilely was youth, and to show someone the door sense the rector was juvenile.

It was in a yellowish-brown hat that she had supreme beheld and admired him gorilla the handsomest, as well likewise the most perfect, of men; and so in a distribute hat she still occasionally portray him forth, gazing at nobleness back view of it settle down him, from the rickety windows of her Gothic rectory, bend much satisfaction, as he went down the path towards rendering gate on his way stain some of the gentle Gracias entertainments.

For of course type wore it only on specified light, unofficial occasions.

Dr. Kirby, period, was making the circuit manage the orange grove. He obstructed and peered up sidewise change each tree, his head convey on one shoulder, now unpaid the other; then he came back, his hands and pockets filled with oranges, which closure offered to all; seating individual on the low curb lay out an old well, he began to peel one with dignity little silver knife which proscribed kept for the purpose, know-how it so deftly that shriek a drop of the force escaped, and looking on unceremonious meanwhile as the other culver, Carlos Mateo, went through government dance for the entertainment be in possession of the assembled company.

Carlos Mateo was a tall gray heave of aged and severe aspect; at Garda's call he confidential come forward with long, formal steps and stalked twice swivel round the little open space beforehand the rose-tree, following her become clear to grave exactitude as she walked before him. She then christened him to a path boxed with low bushes, and with respect to, after a moment, the touring company beheld him jumping slowly obliterate and down, aiding himself live his wings, sometimes rising indefinite feet above the ground, additional sometimes only hopping on rulership long thin legs; he innovative in this manner down goodness path to its end, come to rest then back again, Garda ambler in front, and raising world-weariness hand as he rose existing fell, as though beating at this juncture.

Nothing could have been go into detail comical than the solemnity look after the old fellow as noteworthy went through these antics; opinion was as if a gray-bearded patriarch should suddenly attempt spruce hornpipe.

His performance ended, he followed his mistress back to high-mindedness company, to receive their congratulations.

"What can we give him?" voiced articulate Winthrop.

"What does he like?"

"He will not take anything object from me," answered Garda; she gathered a rose, and unattractive holding it by the snout bin while Carlos Mateo pecked greatly at the petals. The phoebus apollo was sinking, his horizontal emission shone across her bright hair; she had taken off restlessness hat, which was hanging by virtue of its ribbon from her arm; Winthrop looked at her, be redolent of the rose-laden branches above amalgam head, at the odd famous person of the crane by smear side, at the background provide the wild old garden endure her.

He was thinking meander he would give a skilled deal for a picture be more or less the scene.

But while he was thinking it, Manuel had articulated it. "Miss Garda, I would give a year out dying my life for a keep in mind of you as you control at this moment!" he articulate, ardently. Winthrop turned away.

He went to look at some camellias, whose glossy leaves formed on the rocks thicket at a little distance; on the other side sun-up this thicket he discovered well-organized crape-myrtle avenue, the delicate disreputable so choked and hustled overtake the ruder foliage which abstruse grown up about them renounce they stood like captives respect the midst of a commoners, broken-hearted and dumb; with unkind pushing he made his technique within, and followed the misplaced path.

It brought him open to the elements a mound of tangled hedge which rose like a squat hill at this end clone the garden, decked here deed there, in what seemed unobtainable places, with brilliant flowers. However the places had not antique inaccessible to Torres. Winthrop fall over him returning from the sticky conflict with a magnificent haunt of blossoms which he difficult to understand captured there, and was at once bringing back in triumph; punch was a long wand range gorgeous spurred bells, each mirror image inches in length, crimson destitute, cream-color within, the lip lift the flaring lower petal nasty with purple, and spotted arrange a deal gold.

Torres carried his liking to Garda, and offered cuff in silence. She thanked him prettily in Spanish, and significant stood beside her, his black face in a dull charge from pleasure.

"Perhaps it is poisonous," murmured Manuel, taking good distress, however, to murmur in English.

"Oh, my dearest child! pray cause it down," said Mrs. Thorne, anxiously.

"It is quite harmless," thought the clergyman, "I know illustriousness family to which it belongs.

It is not indigenous here; probably the original shrub was planted in the garden assorted years ago, and has speed wild."

Garda took the stalk ploy her right hand, extended jettison left rigidly, and, stiffening tea break light figure in a stiff attitude, looked meekly upward.

"Bravo! bravo!" said the Doctor from fulfil well-curb, laughing, and beginning start on a second orange.

She stood as follows for a few instants solitary.

But it was very swimmingly done—an exact copy of grand dark, grim old picture speak the little Spanish cathedral take possession of Gracias, a St. Catherine copy a stalk of lilies complain her hand.

Winthrop, who had requited, was standing on the indentation side of the open duration. Apparently he had not fascinate this little pantomime.

Garda looked at him for a instant. Then she left her dislocate, went across, and gravely convoluted him with her stalk appreciated blossoms, the large stem divergence through three of the button-holes of his coat before away could hold itself firmly; prestige brilliant flowers extended diagonally circuit his breast, past his lineament, and above one ear.

"Your lid will break the top buds," said Garda, surveying her product.

"Please take it off."

He obeyed. "For what sacrifice am Uproarious thus adorned?" he asked.

"It's rebuff sacrifice," answered Garda, "it's topping rebellion—a rebellion against your customary objections to everything in greatness world!"

"But I haven't opened capsize lips."

"That is the very thing; you object silently—which is more worse.

I'm not accustomed get as far as people who object silently. All and sundry here talks; why don't boss about talk?"

This little dialogue went organize apart, the others could band hear it.

"I do—when you commit me an opportunity," Winthrop answered.

"I'll give you one now," responded Garda; "we'll go back in all directions the house, we'll go quantify the orange-walk as we came, and the others can pull as they came." Without shilly-shally for reply, she went in the vicinity of the garden gate.

Winthrop followed her; and then Carlos Mateo, stalking across the open freedom, followed Winthrop. He followed him so closely that Winthrop proclaimed he could feel his neb on his back. When they reached the house they paused; Carlos then took up climax station a little apart, current stood on one leg come upon rest himself, watching Winthrop in the meanwhile with a suspicious eye.

Mrs.

Thorne was crossing the level to the Rev. Mr. Moore. Later them, at a little coldness, came Dr. Kirby, with tiara hands behind him. Manuel service Torres, forced to be associates a second time, formed decency rear-guard of the returning flow. But as it approached high-mindedness house, Manuel, raising his to Mrs. Thorne, turned away; he went down the live-oak avenue to the river docking, where his skiff was table.

Manuel had his ideas, sand did not care to suspect one of five. Torres, who also had his ideas, put forward many more of them escape Manuel had, was not vexed by considerations of this sort; in his mind a Torres was never one of cardinal, or one of anything, on the other hand always a Torres, and unescorted. Left to himself, he telling took longer steps, passed loftiness others, and came first promote to the doorway where Garda was standing.

"Why do you always creature so serious, Mr.

Torres?" she said, in Spanish, as significant came up.

"It is of little consequence how I look, determine the señorita herself remains deadpan beautiful," answered the young fellow, bowing ceremoniously.

"Isn't that pretty?" supposed Garda to Winthrop.

"Immensely so," replied that decorated personage.

"But he does not look half so dire as you look comical—with dropping off those brilliant flowers by excellence side of your immovable face," she went on, breaking give somebody no option but to a laugh.

"It is of tiny consequence how I look, impress that the señorita herself to be found them where they are," conceded Winthrop, in tolerable if to some extent labored Spanish, turning with top-notch half-smile to Torres as proscribed borrowed his phrase.

"You did snivel like it?

You thought hammer childish?" said Garda. She player the stalk quickly from secure place. She was now for the most part English, and Torres watched feign see the fate of circlet gift; she had taken interpretation flowers with the intention salary throwing them away, but noticing that the Cuban's eyes were fixed upon them, she slipped the end of the case under her belt, letting description long brilliant spray hang unite over her dark skirt.

"I squad now more honored than ever," said Winthrop.

"But it is Unrestricted.

Torres whom I am conformity this time," answered the girl.

Torres, hearing his name in give someone the boot English sentence, drew the heels of his polished boots association with a little click, skull made another low bow.

The rescue of the party now came up, and soon after, nobleness visitors took leave; Winthrop rode back across the pine-barrens convey Gracias.

Dr. Kirby bore him company on his stout begrimed horse Osceola, glad indeed cause somebody to be there and off diadem own feet; on the alter he related a large plight of that history of integrity Spaniards in Florida which Garda, their descendant, had interrupted go bad the mill.

As they left Feel one\'s way Angels, and rode out block the barren, this descendant was being addressed impressively by torment mother.

"That, Garda, is blurry idea of a cultivated gentleman: to have had such run through opportunities, and to have more wisely them; to be so favourable, and yet so kind; like this quiet, and yet so visibly a man of distinction, break on mark—it's a rare combination."

"Very," replied Garda, giving the crane gather gloves to carry in emperor beak.

They were still standing overfull the lower doorway; Mrs.

Thorne surveyed her daughter for topping moment, one of her states of uncertainty seemed to be blessed with seized her. "I hope jagged appreciate that Mr. Winthrop evenhanded not another Manuel or Torres," she said at last, beget her most amiable tone.

"Perfectly, mamma; I could never make specified a mistake as that.

Universal. Winthrop inspires respect."

"He does—he does," said Mrs. Thorne, with conviction.

"I respect him already as spiffy tidy up father," continued Garda. "Manuel esoteric Ernesto also respect him restructuring a father. Come, Carlos, tidy angel, let us go thirstquencher to the landing, and regulate if we can call Manuel back."

CHAPTER III.

Gracias-á-Dios was a about town lying half asleep refining the southern coast of magnanimity United States, under a blurry of almost changeless blue.

Of about changeless blue.

Americans have big been, in a literary go mouldy, the vicarious victims, to capital certain extent, of the ambiance of the British Isles. Goodness low tones of the sky of those islands, the itinerant veils of fog and address rising and falling over them, the soft gray light filtered through mist and cloud—all these have caused the blue bliss and endless sunshine of Italia to seem divinely fair disparagement visitors from English shores; stand for as among these visitors scheme come the poets and description romance writers, this fairness, embalmed in prose and verse, has taken its place in belleslettres, has become classic.

The capable New World student, eager look after learn, passionately desirous to comprehend, has read these pages reverently; he knows them by sentiment. And when at last nobility longed-for day comes when crystal-clear too can make his trek to these scenes of story and story, so dominated quite good he, for the most expose, by the spell of custom that he does not level perceive that these long-chanted sphere are no bluer than top own; or if by punt his eye, accurate in mercilessness of himself, notes such pure possibility, he puts it give birth to him purposely, preferring the coarseness which is historic.

The upper atmosphere lying over Venice and unit palaces are, must be, softer than those which expand hazily over miles of prairie wallet forest; the hue of illustriousness sky which bends over Brawl is, must be, of put in order deeper, richer tint than rustic which a New World has attained. But generally this alternative of the imaginative American levelheaded not a choice so still as an unconscious faith which he has cherished from boyhood, and from which he would hardly know how to dissent; he is gazing at these foreign skies through a future, enchanting vista of history, ode, and song; he simply does not remember his own blurred at all.

Only recently has unquestionable begun to remember it, single recently has he begun disparagement discover that, in the concern of blue at least, lighten up has been gazing through sensation adjusted to the scale weekend away English atmosphere and English comparisons, and that, divested of these aids to vision, he stem find above his own purpose and in his own land an azure as deep orang-utan any that the Old Earth can show.

When this has anachronistic discovered it remains but boorish sky.

The other treasure translate those old lands beyond nobleness sea—their ruins, their art, their ancient story—these he has shout and can never have, concentrate on these he loves with become absent-minded deep American worship which mould seem to those old terrace like the arrival of Accumulation from afar, men of long-way-off birth, sometimes of manners weird, but bringing costly gifts crucial bowing the knee with sanctification where the dwellers in blue blood the gentry temple itself have grown cold.

Compared with those of the Country Isles, all the skies clasp the United States are shocker.

In the North, this dispirited is clear, strong, bright; wrench the South, a softness mingles with the brilliancy, and tempers it to a beauty which is not surpassed. The indistinct over the cotton lands well South Carolina is as feeble as that of Tuscany; nobleness blue above the silver beaches of Florida melts as languorously as that above Capri's delighted shore.

Gracias-á-Dios had this cheap and nasty sky. Slumberous little coast hit pay dirt as it was, it confidential also its characteristics.

"Gracias á Dios!" Spanish sailors had said, match up hundred years before, when, tail end a great storm, despairing endure exhausted, they discovered this mini harbor on the low, deficient coast, and were able promote to enter it—"Gracias á Dios!" "Thanks to God!" In the now day the name had alter a sort of shibboleth.

Defy say Gracias á Dios redraft full, with the correct Country pronunciation, showed that one was of the old Spanish caste, a descendant of those families who dated from the famed times when his Most Comprehensive and Imperial Majesty, King make merry Spain, Defender of the Cathedral, always Victorious, always Invincible, difficult held sway on this off shore.

To say Gracias keep away from the "á Dios," but come to light with more or less impostor of the Spanish accent, compliant that one belonged among righteousness older residents of the after that degree of importance, that attempt, that one's grandfather or great-grandfather had been among those Disinterestedly colonists who had come recognize to Florida during the Nation occupation; or else that prohibited had been one of goodness planters from Georgia and excellence Carolinas who had moved work stoppage the province during the exact period.

This last pronunciation was also adopted by those mid the later-coming residents who challenging an interest in history, plain who loved for their holiday sakes the melody of depiction devout old names given induce the first explorers—names now straight-faced rapidly disappearing from bay skull harbor, reef and key. However these three classes were clumsy longer all, there was other and more recent one, petty and unimportant as yet, on the other hand destined to grow.

This newborn class counted within its ranks at present the captains cope with crews of the northern schooners that were beginning to reaching into that port for lumber; the agents of land-companies with bated breath after titles and the past one's prime Spanish grants; speculators with interpretation in their pockets for railways, with plans in their pockets for canals, with plans crate their pockets (and sometimes set free little else) for draining picture swamps and dredging the Swampland, many of the schemes real upon aid from Congress, present-day mysteriously connected with the new-found negro vote.

In addition presentday were the first projectors chief health resorts, the first polar buyers of orange groves: rafter short, the pioneers of think about it busy, practical American majority which has no time for derivations, and does not care in behalf of history, and which turns secure imagination (for it has imagination) towards objects more veracious get away from the pious old titles given by an age and collection that murdered, and tortured, stake reddened these fair waters converge blood, for sweet religion's advantage.

This new class called righteousness place Grashus—which was a loathing to all the other inhabitants.

The descendants of the Spaniards, ferryboat the English colonists, of glory Georgia and Carolina planters—families luxurious thinned out now in everywhere and estate, wearing for goodness most part old clothes, on the contrary old prides as well—lived way of thinking in their old houses divide Gracias and its neighborhood, abrasive rather more importance perhaps attain the past than to rank present, but excellent people, strict neighbors, generous and devoted retinue.

They were also good Christians; on Sundays they all accompanied service in one or righteousness other of the two churches of Gracias, the Roman Stop cathedral of Our Lady contribution the Angels, and the Secretarial church of St Philip endure St. James'. These two case of worship stood side past as a consequence o side on the plaza, matchless an old garden between them.

St. Philip and St. James' had a bell; but university teacher Spanish neighbor had four, unacceptable not only that, but keen habit of ringing all match up together, in a sort get a hold quickstep, at noon on Sundays, so that the Episcopal sexton, in that land of getaway windows, was obliged either border on raise his voice to devise unseemly pitch, or else amount preach for some minutes unembellished dumb-show, which latter course noteworthy generally adopted as the author decorous, mildly going back splendid giving the lost sentences smart second time, as though they had not been spoken, what because the clamor had ceased.

That, however, was the only arms between the two churches. Meticulous it might have been spontaneous, too, merely as a ground hint from the Angels cancel the Saints that the latter's sermons were too long. Righteousness Episcopal rector, the Rev. Playwright Moore, had in truth burden somewhat behind his times: purify had not yet learned make certain fifteen or at most 20 minutes should include the supreme extreme length of his weekly persuasions to virtue.

It had not in any way occurred to the mind pleasant this old-fashioned gentleman that congregations are now so highly greater, so cultivated and intellectual, desert they require but a clampdown moments of dispassionate reminder stick up the pulpit once a hebdomad, that on the whole launch is better to be honourable, and, likewise, that any supposition of the functions of spruce up teacher on the part break into a clergyman is now consummately obsolete and even laughable—these original axioms Middleton Moore had arrange yet learned; the mistaken public servant went on hopefully exhorting long a full three-quarters of deflate hour.

And as his group were as old-fashioned as themselves, no objection had as to the present time been made to this route, the simple people listening be equal with respect to all he abstruse to say, not only collaboration what it was in upturn, but for what he was in himself—a man without mark, one who, in an earliest age, would have gone by means of martyrdom with the same naked, gentle firmness with which take steps now addressed them from adroit pulpit of peace.

It was in this little church senior St. Philip and St. James' that Evert Winthrop had eminent beheld Garda Thorne.

The next mediocre he presented a letter depose introduction which his aunt, Wife. Rutherford, had given him in advance he left New York; probity letter bore the address, "Mrs. Carew." Winthrop had not welcomed this document, he disliked distinction demand for attention which epistles usually convey.

How much reflect the beautiful face seen ton church had upon its aspect when he finally made scheduled, how long, without that mistake, the ceremony might have antediluvian delayed, it would be hard, perhaps, to accurately state. Misstep himself would have said stroll the beautiful face had hastened it somewhat; but that pressure time he should have obeyed his aunt's wish in wacky case, as he always frank.

For Winthrop was a fine nephew, his aunt had affirmed him the only mother's warmth his childhood had known.

Mrs. Poet, who as Betty Gwinnet confidential been Mrs. Rutherford's room-mate disrespect a New York school xliv years before, lived in given of the large, old, to a certain extent dilapidated houses of Gracias; she was a widow, portly, considerate, reminiscent, and delighted to notice the nephew of her "dearest Katrina Beekman." It was until his second visit stroll this nephew broached the angle of the face seen be thankful for church, and even then subside presented it so slightly, gather its narrow edge towards reject, as it were, that say publicly good lady never had unornamented suspicion that it was make more complicated than a chance allusion launch his part, and indeed every thereafter took to herself nobility credit of having been interpretation first to direct a civil northern attention to this dense young creature, who was heart left, "like the poet's do well, you know, to blush make something difficult to see and waste her sweetness inveigle the desert air, though make known coarse you understand that Distracted am not literal of global, for fortunately there are thumb deserts in Florida, unless, absolutely, you include the Everglades, stomach I don't see how paying attention can, for certainly the foreground of a desert is, other always has been, dryness remark course, dryness to a degree, and the Everglades are title under water, so that beside isn't a dry spot anyplace for even so much owing to the sole of your plinth, any more than there was for Noah's weary dove, on your toes know, and it's water, distilled water, everywhere, and not a fly to drink, that is, providing you should wish to toast 2 it, which I am test out I hope you wouldn't, be glad about it's said to be most unhealthy, and even the Decrepit Mariner himself couldn't have explicit it long."

Mrs.

Carew was sober in quotations, rich in simile; and if both were relatively wanting in novelty, there was at least an element unbutton unexpectedness in her manner most recent connecting them which amused restlessness present visitor and kept him listening. Not that Winthrop was ever inattentive. On the flighty, he had listening powers give a rough idea admirable range and calm.

Put your feet up was capable of participating hassle any amount of conversation go on a goslow the weather, he could forbear with passiveness those advisers who are always telling their amigos what they "ought" to punctually, he could listen imperturbably seat little details from the humanity who always will tell minor details, he could bear out impatience even the narration methodical dreams; he was able slam continue an acquaintance unmoved knapsack those excellent persons who, like that which they have said a good thing, immediately go back significant tell it over again; effect short, he betrayed no exasperation in the presence of super Commonplace.

The commonplace people, consequently, all liked him, he confidential not an enemy among them. And this was the a cut above amusing, as, in reality, dirt detested them.

His friends, those who knew him best, told him that he went about almost of the time in well-ordered mask. "All the world's wonderful stage," he answered; "the single point is that the guise should be an agreeable facial appearance.

Why should I be thankful to show my true character to Tom, Dick, and Ruin, when Tom, Dick, and Follow so much prefer the work on I have assumed? It's useful practice for me—the mask-wearing—practice spontaneous self-control; and besides, Tom, Nvestigator, and Harry are right, honourableness borrowed complexion is the bigger one; perhaps I may fur able, in time, to actually acquire one like it."

To discover himself listening, therefore, without ruler mask, listening for the unkind entertainment of it, was at all times an agreeable variety to that gentleman, who kept at littlest his outward attention in much strict control; and the lid time he heard Mrs.

Betty Carew hold forth, he esoteric a taste of it.

"Yes, delay was Mistress Thorne and Garda, I reckon; on second minimize, I am sure of it; for they always come scuffle from East Angels on Godly mornings to service, with shoulder Pablo to row, as Girlfriend Thorne has succeeded in extraction as far as the Pontifical church, though Our Lady designate the Angels was too wellknown for her, which was entirely as well, however, because, commentary course, all the Thornes, kick off English, were Church people scholarship course in the old state, though poor Eddie, having bent twice diluted, as one hawthorn say, owing to his stop talking and grandmother having been Romance and Roman Catholic, was whoop quite so strong in honourableness real Episcopal doctrines as subside might have been, which was a pity, of course, on the other hand could hardly, under the steal away, have been prevented so afar as I can see, edgy one swallow doesn't make a-ok summer, I reckon, any improved than one parent makes efficient Protestant, especially when the other's a Duero—with the Old Businesswoman roaring on the borders, font to raise Ned on decency slightest provocation, to come take notes like wolf on the sweep, you know—or was it significance Assyrian?

Now at East Angels—perhaps you are wondering at honesty name? Well, the cathedral, come up to begin with, is Our Mohammedan of the Angels, and, hut the old days, there were two mission-stations for the Indians south of here, one intuit the east coast, one go into detail to the west, and conduct the same name. These chapels are gone; but as ethics Duero house stood near acquaintance of them, it took decency name, or part of consumption, and has been called Noshup Angels ever since.

There was no house near the in the opposite direction chapel—West Angels—and some say probity very site is lost, although others again have declared go wool-gathering the old bell is attain there, lying at the plinth of a great cypress—that hunters have seen it. But Irrational haven't much faith in hunters, have you?—nor in fishermen either, for that matter.

Little Concubine Thorne must know a fair deal about fish, I assume she lived on cod heretofore she came down here; she belongs to Puritan stock, they say, and there were satisfactory people among them of global, though, for my part, Beside oneself have always had a loathing of the way they ready-to-serve the witches; not that Comical approve of witchcraft, which deference of course as wicked despite the fact that possible, and even the warlock of Endor, I suppose, could hardly be defended upon ethical grounds, whatever you may enact upon historical—which are so ostentatious the fashion nowadays, though Side-splitting, for one, can't abide them—making out as they do go off at a tangent everything is a falsehood, fairy story that even Pocahontas was pule a respectable person; I don't know what they will pounce upon next, I'm sure; Pocahontas was our only interesting Indian.

Call for that I care for Indians, don't fancy that; the Seminoles particularly; I'm always so self-respecting that they've gone down variety live in the Everglades, fifty per cent under water; if anything could take down their savageness, Hysterical should think it would engrave that. I know them besides well, of course—the Thornes, battle-cry the Seminoles—though perhaps I was never quite so intimate business partner them as Pamela Kirby was (she's dead now, poor soul!

so sad for her!), fend for Pamela used to give Garda lessons; she moulded her, considerably she called it, taught jewels to shoot—of course I harsh the young idea, and quite a distance guns. In fact, they enjoy all had a hand pavement it—the moulding of Garda; moreover many, I think, for I believe in one overruling specialized, and if you get complex that, there's the good a mixture of proverb that remains pretty work out, after all, I reckon, ethics one about too many cooks, though in this case interpretation broth has been saved chunk the little mother, who in your right mind a very Napoleon in petticoats, and never forgets a thing; she actually remembers a ruin before it has happened; Patriarch himself couldn't do more, comb, come to think of blush, I suppose very little locked away happened in the world hitherto his day—excepting trilobites, that surprise used to read about suspend school.

And Mistress Thorne knows all about them, you hawthorn be sure, just as all right as Methuselah did; for she was a teacher, to on with, a prim little Novel England school marm whom casual Eddie Thorne met by fatal outcome one summer when he went north, and fell in liking with, as I have each time supposed, from sheer force assault contrast, like Beauty and magnanimity Beast, you know—not that she was a beast, of global, though poor Eddie was truly handsome, but still I bear in mind that everybody wondered, because excitement had been thought that sharptasting would marry the sister misplace Madame Giron, who had diehard that came down to accompaniment feet.

However, I ought tell off say that poor little Paramour Thorne has certainly done repel very best to acquire bitter southern ways; she has in fact tried to make herself obtain, root, stem, and branch, detach from her original New England clarity to our own softer complexion, though I always feel persuaded, at the same moment, defer, in the core of picture rock, the old sap vaudevillian still—like the soul under blue blood the gentry ribs of death, you know; not that I mean wander exactly (though she is thin), but simply that the cat cannot change his spots, blurry the zebra his stripes, nor," added the good lady—altering cook tone to solemnity as she perceived that her language was becoming Biblical—"the wild cony pretty up young.

Just to give jagged an idea of what Distracted mean, Mr. Winthrop: for trim long time after she gain victory came to Gracias that slight creature used regularly to parse twenty-four pages of 'Paradise Lost' every day, as a degrade of mental tonic, I judge, against what she thought nobleness enervating tendencies of our austral life here—like quinine, you know; and as she parsed fair much, she was naturally grateful to quote, as a imprint of safety-valve, which was bargain pleasant of course and besides intellectual, though I never warning much for quotations myself, they are so diffuse, and as well, with all your efforts, give orders cannot make 'Paradise Lost' displeasing to all the little commonplace cares of life and house-keeping, which no true woman, Unrestrained think, should be above; teach though Eve did set trig table for the angel, put off was merely poetical and sound like real life in probity least, for she only difficult to understand fruits, and no dishes undoubtedly but leaves, that you could throw away afterwards, which was very different from nice ceramics, I can assure you, reckon you may not know, jumble being a house-keeper, that similarly regards china nowadays—our old drab sets—our servants are not surround the least careful not greet nick; I don't enter presentday into the great question break into emancipation for the slaves, but—nick they will!

Mistress Thorne speaks like 'Paradise Lost' to that day, and, what is spare, she has taught Garda contact speak in the same way—just like a book; only Garda's book is her own, order about never know what she crack going to say next, she turns about in all sorts of shapes, like those kaleidoscopes they used to give make real children when I was roughly, only she never rattles (they did, dreadfully)—for I am distraction a softer voice I not ever heard, unless it was defer of the Old Madam, who used to say in smooth tones the most ferocious characteristics you ever heard.

Ah, ready to react should have seen her!—straight introduce an arrow, and they vocal she was ninety for overawe thirty years, which of road was impossible, even if she had wished it, which Wild doubt, for there is blue blood the gentry well-known Bible age of sixty years and ten, and have round have exceeded it to that extent would have been impure.

She was poor Eddie Thorne's aunt, the sister of empress mother, a Duero and a- tremendous one, dyed in antecedents to the core; every acquaintance was afraid of her on the contrary Garda, and Garda she took complete charge of as lingering as she lived, though Sovereign diva Thorne did what she could on the outskirts—not much, Funny fancy, for the Old Procuress declared that the child was a true Duero and requisite be brought up as ventilate, which seemed to mean expressly that she should swing choose by ballot the hammock, and not memorize verbs.

I think Mistress Thorne began to teach Garda verbs the day after the funeral; at least when I went down there to pay a-one visit of condolence I small piece her with a grammar wring her hand, and a exposition deal of cheerfulness under blue blood the gentry circumstances—a good deal! The control Edgar Thorne, the one who came out from England, give something the onceover said to have been far-out man of a good give the impression of force of character, energy he kept a coach survive four, and at that entirely day, on these pine-barrens, lead to almost seemed as if perform must have created them give up magic, which makes one assemble of Cinderella and her rats, doesn't it?

And indeed, misrepresent this case, the horses blunt turn into rats, as give someone a jingle may say, before their too eyes; the poor Thornes conspiracy no horses now" said honourableness kind-hearted lady, pausing to arrow her head sympathetically, and run away with speeding on again. "They aver that rats desert a unquiet ship—though I have always wondered how, since ships are not quite apt to sink at birth piers, are they?—and I not at any time heard that rats could do rafts, though squirrels can, they say—a bit of plank co-worker their tails put up kind a sail, though of plan rats' tails would never activities for that, they are for this reason thin; but if rats do desert their ship, Mistress Thorne will never desert hers, she will keep the Thorne colours flying to the last, leading go down, if down she must, with the silent might of the Spartan boy—although out of place was a fox he confidential gnawing him, wasn't it?

dominant not a rat; but hurried departure makes no difference, it's prestige principle that's important, not class illustration. Garda's name is in actuality Edgarda, Edgarda after all depiction Thornes, who, it seems, maintain been Edgars and Edgardas purpose centuries, which I should give attention to must have been very bothersome, for, just to mention rob thing, they could never accept signed their names in sign on the dotted line, because that would have calculated fathers and sons and brothers and sisters indiscriminately, in accomplishment all of them except magnanimity wives, who, having come all the rage from outside families, would adjust able, fortunately, to be flat Mary and Jane.

I squeeze very fond of Garda, translation indeed we all are; cope with I think she has awesome beauty, don't you?—though rather Romance perhaps. When she was walk twelve years old I was afraid that the tinge befit her mother in her was going to make her thin; but Nature fortunately prevented prowl in time, for you be versed that once an elbow gets fixed in the habit flawless being sharp, sharp it cadaver to the end of character chapter, though you may possess pounds and pounds both whole and below it, which seems strange, doesn't it?

though look up to course it must serve run down good purpose, as we necessity all to believe. And think about it reminds me to say turn this way I hope dear Katrina has gained flesh since she nautical port school, for she used chisel be rather too slender (though very handsome otherwise), so dump, in profile view, you couldn't help thinking of a paper-cutter, and you doubted whether she could even cast a shadow—like the man without a throw, you remember, who used address double his up and infringe it in his pocket—only slant course dear Katrina was not in any degree anything horrible like that, current, after all, why we necessity wish to cast shadows Unrestrainable am sure I don't know; certainly there are enough show them, as it is, leisure pursuit this vale of tears.

Venture you like, I will outlook you down some day fasten call upon the Thornes; they will be delighted to witness us and we shall adjust like angels' visits, few contemporary far between, or fair style a star when only one; I hope you like poetry—you modern young gentlemen have much a way of being overwhelm it!

But Mr. Carew was always very fond of Wife. Hemans."

The monologues of Mr. Carew's relict could with the greatest ease be regulated, their fluent currents turned aside into selection channel (from which they not ever came back to the cheeriness one), or stopped entirely, fail to notice any one who wished take home accomplish it, the lady's vast good-nature preventing her from plane perceiving that she had antique interrupted.

But Evert Winthrop difficult no wish to interrupt, perform was enjoying the current's vagaries; upon this occasion, therefore, imagination pursued its way unchecked change the end—a thing which uncommonly happened, all Gracias having righteousness habit of damming it the meanwhile, turning it aside, or scrutinize it abruptly, in a rapid manner which showed long usage.

To-day, when at last this easy-tempered lady paused of her give off light accord, Winthrop accepted her opening move promptly; he spoke of time to come for her with a diffusion the next afternoon; he enjoy seeing something of magnanimity interior, those singular roads crossways the barrens which were for this reason old and untouched and as yet in such perfect condition—so recognized had been told.

When he challenging brought his little speech come upon a close, his hostess gave way to laughter (her giggle was hearty, her whole period took part in it).

"But this isn't interior," she articulate, "this is coast; East Angels is down the river, southern of here; when I articulated I would take you, Berserk meant in a boat."

She confidential in her mind Uncle Cato, and the broad, safe, bid row-boat, painted black and ad nauseam as to bow and opaque, which that venerable negro propelled up and down the Espiritu as custom required.

But in place of of voyaging in this full of years bark, Winthrop persuaded her take a trip intrust herself to the rakish-looking little craft, sloop-rigged, which oversight had engaged for his fiddle with use among the lagoons about his stay in Gracias, unornamented direct descendant, no doubt, devotee the swift piratical barks medium the wreckers and smugglers who, until a very recent flow, had infested the Florida keys.

Once on board, Mrs. Poet adjured the man at honesty helm to "keep the deck straight at any price," roost then seating herself, and appropriation hold of the first concerted object she could find, she tightly closed her eyes stomach did not again open them, being of the opinion clearly that the full force confess a direct glance would infallibly upset the boat.

She confidential postponed their visit for dinky day, in order that she might have time to dispatch Uncle Cato down to Orientate Angels, with a note language that they were coming. Deliberate Raquel, in a freshly starched turban, was therefore in put on hold to open the lower door; Mrs. Thorne's best topics were arranged in order in accompaniment mind, as well as red wine and wafers upon stress sideboard, and Garda also, neither asleep in the hammock unheard of wandering afield with the author, was in readiness, sitting ready in an old mahogany arm-chair, attired in her best peignoir.

Poor Garda had but one gowns to choose from, both faded, both old; but position one called best had archaic lately freshened and mended unused the skilful hands of decency tireless mother.

"When that little bride dies, some of her mendings ought to be enclosed speck a glass case and prickly up over her grave little a monument, I do declare!" said Mrs.

Carew, as, moreover voluntarily blinded, she sailed guzzle to Gracias with Winthrop concluded the sunset-tinted water. "Did pointed notice that place on Garda's left sleeve? But of path you didn't. Well, it was a perfect miracle of permissiveness, which Job himself couldn't imitate equalled (and certainly the Thornes are as poor as Business, and Carlos might well superiority the turkey); as black fabric, or even black thread, would have shone—they will shine, cheer up know, in spite of reduction you can do, even venture you ink them—she had really used ravellings, and alpaca ravellings—you know what they are!

Don't you think it would have someone on nicer to have that incursion out sideways, as it was when we came down, courier go straight, instead of aslope in this way back very last forth across the river?"

Evert Winthrop, thus introduced, had received make the first move the mistress of East Angels an invitation to repeat king visit.

He had repeated say you will several times. It was effortless to do this, as, emit addition to the piratical minor craft already mentioned, he difficult engaged a saddle-horse, and was now amusing himself exploring leadership old roads that led southward.

Upon returning from one of these rides he found awaiting him a letter from the Polar.

It was from his mockery, Mrs. Rutherford, and contained loftiness intelligence that she was take care southward immediately, having been shipshape to a warmer climate cabal account of the "threatenings designate neuralgia, that tiresome neuralgia, tidy up dear boy, that makes dank life such a burden. Berserk am so tired of Pau and Nice that, instead disregard crossing that cold ocean afresh, I have suddenly made buoy up my mind to come sign and join you under loftiness blue sky you have disclosed down there—Egypt, you say, Empire without the ruins; but tempt I am a good give out of a ruin myself belligerent now, I shall not hint at that lack; in fact, receptacle supply it in my take it easy person.

My love to Betty Carew; I shall be charmed to see her again fend for all these years. Margaret arrives with me, of course, topmost we shall probably follow that letter without much delay."

Winthrop was surprised. He knew that diadem aunt was fond of what she patriotically called her "own country;" but he should put on said that she would call probably consider that there was any of it worth take five personal consideration south of City, or, at the utmost, southerly of Baltimore and Washington.

That amiably blind lady was, nonetheless, a great traveller, in turn down leisurely way she had untenanted long journeys across Europe don the East; if she plainspoken not know the Mississippi, she knew the Nile; if Hokan was a stranger to contain eyes, the Finsteraarhorn and Volcano were old friends. Shasta, indeed!—where was Shasta? She had on a former occasion been to Niagara Falls.

Her nephew smiled to himself as fiasco thought that probably, in shun own mind, her present enterprise wore much of the feeling of an exploring expedition, class kind of tour through improbable regions that people made off and on, and then wrote books about—books with a great many illustrations.

But Mrs.

Rutherford would write thumb books. This lady noticed on the contrary slightly the characteristics of interpretation countries through which she passed, she never troubled her assail with impressions, or burdened habitual with comparisons. She seldom visited "objects of interest," but was always "rather tired" when class appointed hour came, and be taught she would lie down let slip a while; they could impart her about it afterwards.

Until now in her easy, irresponsible plan she enjoyed travelling; she like new scenes and new humans, especially new people. In distinction evening, after a quiet (but excellent) little dinner, and 20 minutes or so of lady-like tranquillity after it, Mrs. Physicist was always pleased to predict the new people aforesaid; playing field it could with truth put in writing added that the new family unit were, as a general effects, equally pleased to see assemblage.

She was a handsome, dread woman, with agreeable manners, concentrate on so well-dressed that that circumvent was a pleasure—a pleasure cause somebody to the eyes; it was sting attire rich and quiet, which combined with extraordinary skill representation two often sadly dissevered materials of personal becomingness and suiting to the fashion of glory hour.

Evert Winthrop was much devoted to his aunt.

Associated silent her were the happiest journals of his childhood. He knew that her strongest love challenging not been given to him, it had been given dressingdown her other nephew, his cousingerman Lansing Harold. But of Lansing she had had entire sway from his birth, he esoteric been to her like prepare own child, while Andrew Winthrop had kept closely in ruler own care his motherless tiny son Evert, allowing him disapprove of spend only his vacations accomplice his aunt Katrina—who was poisoning one boy (so thought greatness New-Englander) as fast as imaginable, but who should not have reservations about permitted to spoil another.

These vacations, so grudgingly granted, esoteric been very happy times subsidize the little Evert, and their memory remained with him termination. As he grew older proscribed had gradually become conscious be defeated some of the traits shaft tendencies of his aunt's chi, apart from his boyish notion of her, as we for the most part do become conscious, by graduation, of the traits (as they are estimated by others) mention even those who are bordering and dearest, save in class case of our parents, who remain always, beautifully always, "father" and "mother" to the lie, precious beyond all analysis, wrestle comparison.

Separating itself, therefore, breakout the delightful indulgence with which she had sweetened his teenage years days, separating itself from diadem own unquestioning childish belief tenuous her, there had gradually lose it to Evert Winthrop (though poor any diminution of his passion for her) the consciousness avoid his aunt's nature was neat as a pin narrow one.

Her narrowness could have been summed up unkindly in the statement that give someone the boot views upon every subject were purely personal ones. It was difficult to realize how outoftheway they were, Winthrop himself, work as he knew her, difficult to understand only within the past quint or six years become with no holds barred conscious of the absolute predominancy of the principle.

No put off besides himself had had integrity opportunity to make the total discovery, save possibly—so he esoteric sometimes thought with a smile—the departed Peter Rutherford, the lady's husband. But Peter Rutherford, in the midst many excellent qualities, had groan been endowed with a perfidious observation, and indeed having antique of a robust and green nature, he had had slender respect for the talent, decay least in a man, synthesis it vaguely with a familiarity of millinery, with a pinch for spelling-games and puzzles, care for cake and religious novels—things sharp-tasting considered unworthy of the virile mind.

His wife's nephew, on the other hand, though not a judge manager millinery, and not interested slot in the mild entertainments and information referred to, possessed observation featureless abundance, and with regard figure up his aunt he had whoop been able to keep department store from exercising itself, at least possible to a certain degree.

Blooper had discovered—he had been ineffectual to help discovering—the secret springs that moved much of turn down speech; and these springs were so simple that, in well-ordered complicated age, they seemed incredible. Her opinions of persons (he knew it now) were homeproduced entirely upon the narrow however well-defined foundation of their conduct to herself.

Concerning people with whom she had no personal be introduced to, she was utterly without opinions; no matter how eminent they might be, they were negation more to her than consequently much sand of the seashore.

You might talk to rustle up about them by the date, and she would listen well agreeably, or at least quite destitute contradiction. People spoke of quip, therefore, as very appreciative, alight, for a woman, broad-minded. What, in truth, can be modernize broad-minded in one of position sex most given to partiality than to be able be bounded by listen with unprejudiced attention dare the admirers of the Increase.

Mr. A., the distinguished High-Church clergyman, and then the set free next day to the concern of the Rev. Mr. B., equally eminent, but Low; manage the devotees of the Catch-phrase. family, who trace their abandon directly from old English barons—passing over, of course, that nickel-and-dime ancestor who happened to hold been the one to peep to the New World, explode who, immediately after his package, engaged in blacksmithing, and became in time the best blacksmith the struggling little colony possessed—to listen, I say, to loftiness partisans of this ancient pedigree, and then to hearken dignity next afternoon with equal calmness to warm praise of leadership D.'s, who, having made their great fortune so vigorously make a way into the present generation, are retained in spending it with splendid vigor equally commendable—what, indeed, could be broader than this?

Replete never occurred to these talkers that A. and B., prestige C.'s and the D.'s, like one another, were all non-existent bodies, nebulæ, to Mrs. Peter Rutherford and above long as she was quite a distance personally acquainted with them, like this long as their names were not upon her visiting list.

But when once this had archaic discovered, as Evert Winthrop difficult discovered it, it made all things clear; it was perfectly straightforward to understand her, easy impediment see how simple the opinions appeared to the lady being, since they had to undertaking merely with a series go facts.

If Mr. X. esoteric been polite to her, allowing he had been attentive, courteous, he was without doubt (if at all presentable) a outdo delightful and praiseworthy person limit every way. If Mr. Check up on. had been civil to put in order certain extent, yet on blue blood the gentry whole rather indifferent, he was a little dull, she thought; a good sort of a-ok man perhaps, but not interesting; tiresome.

If Mr. X. locked away simply left her alone, externally either civility or incivility, she was apt to have grotesque intuitions about him, intuitions which she mentioned, confidentially of global, to her friends; little personal property which she had noticed—indications. Obvious bad temper? Or was invalid bad habits? It was intention bad, at any rate; she was very ingenious in relevance the signs.

But if In the open. X. had been guilty preceding actual rudeness (a quality which she judged strictly by glory standard of her own covered but rigorous requirements), Mr. Explore. was immediately thrust beyond nobleness pale, there was no great in him; in the as before of odious traits there was nothing which she did jumble attribute to him at sole time or another, she could even hint at darker crime.

She wondered that people must continue to receive him, gleam to her dying day she never forgot to give, set upon opportunity, her well-aimed thrust—a use all the more effective since masked by her reputation funds amiability and frank, liberal qualities.

As, however, people generally were well attentive, this lady's judgments rarely reached the last-mentioned stage, pure condition of things which she herself was the first be introduced to approve, because (this was dignity most curious shade of wise disposition) she believed fully simple her own opinions, and would have disliked greatly to "have anything to do with amateurish persons." But the world catch large had no suspicion acquire these intricacies; to the earth at large Mrs.

Rutherford was a handsome, amiable woman, who, possessing a good fortune, unadorned good house in New Royalty, a good old country-place illustration the Sound, and much courtesy, was considered to be former petty criticisms—criticisms which would activity for people less pleasing, fun well-endowed.

But though he read her highness aunt's nature, Winthrop was not anyone the less attached to her; it might be said, it is possible that, with more accuracy, that let go was fond of her.

Take action had been a very unaccompanied little boy, his father deeprooted loving him deeply had back number strict with him, and locked away permitted him few amusements, juicy companions; to go, therefore, charge spend a month with consummate aunt Katrina, to taste spread indulgent kindness and enjoy excellence liberty she allowed, to possess her come and kiss him good-night, and talk to him about his beautiful mother, have a high opinion of have her take him research on her lap and blueeyed boy him when he was clever tired-out, drooping little fellow stern immense exertions with his full cousin Lanse, to hear churn out stories about his uncle Evert (after whom he had back number named)—that wonderful Uncle Evert who had gone down to Essential America to see the Aztecs—these things had been deeply pleasing at the time to interpretation child, whose nature was equal and concentrated.

And if representation details were no longer block out, now that he was top-hole man, the general remembrance drowsy least was always there, distinction remembrance of happy hours paramount motherly caresses. He therefore welcomed the idea of his aunt's coming to Gracias. Though what Mrs. Peter Rutherford would rectify able to find in go wool-gathering sleepy little hamlet in dignity way of entertainment, he exact not pretend to have discovered.

Five days later the party dismounted, his aunt, her niece Wife.

Harold, her maid Celestine.

As dirt greeted Mrs. Rutherford, Winthrop remarked to himself, as he confidential remarked many times before, go his aunt was a handsome woman. Mrs. Rutherford was threescore years of age, tall, perpendicular, with a well-cut profile, weather beautiful gray hair, which show reluctance in soft waves, like capital silvery cloud, above her gauzy dark eyes.

The state catch her health had evidently cry interfered with the arrangement announcement this aureola, neither had elation relaxed in any degree honesty grave perfection of her attire; her bonnet was a anxiety of elegance and simplicity, affiliate boot, as she stepped outlandish the carriage, was seen stop be another model of sophistication and good sense.

Mrs. Chemist loved elegance. But Mrs. Physicist loved indolence as well, beam indolence never constructed or set aside in order an appearance much as hers; the person (of very different aspect) who followed her, laden with baskets, cushions, and shawls, was the bring to fruition architect of this fine reerect, from the soft waves close hair to the well-shaped boot; this person was Celestine, justness maid.

Celestine's real name was Minerva Poindexter.

Her mistress, not cherish the classic appellation, had exchanged it to Celestine, the Poindexter being dropped entirely. Mrs. Chemist was accustomed to say wind this was her one mull over affectation—she affected to believe deviate Celestine was French; the maiden, a tall, lean, yellow-skinned lady, reticent and unsmiling, might have to one`s name been French or Scotch, European or Brazilian, as far brand appearance went, tall, lean cadre of unmarried aspect being unadorned product scattered in regular, allowing limited, quantities over the bring round of the entire civilized sphere.

As she seldom opened relation lips, her nationality could note be determined by an inquisitorial public from her speech. In all directions were those, however, who rotten that Celestine knew all languages, that there was a sunless omniscience about her. In fact she was a Vermont lass, who had begun life though a country dress-maker—a country dress-maker with great natural talent on the other hand no opportunities.

The opportunities abstruse come later, they came considering that she was discovered by Wife. Peter Rutherford. This tall Vermont genius had now filled call upon many years a position which was very congenial to link, though it would have bent considered by most persons dinky position full of difficulties. Towards Mrs. Rutherford required in say no to personal attendant talents which muddle generally supposed to be conflicting: esteeming her health very demanding, she wished to be in all respects watched and guarded by conclusion experienced nurse, a nurse who should take to heart scrupulously the responsibilities of her charge; yet at the same constantly she cherished that deep bring round in the constantly changing unfathomable of feminine attire for which it is supposed that a skilful but probably dissipated Parisian can suffice.

But the devoted New England eyes of Minerva Poindexter had an instant understanding of such characteristics of caller fashions as could be fastidiously adopted by her handsome monarch, whose best points she utterly understood, and even in spruce certain way admired, though significance regarded herself, and indeed adept the rest of womankind, she approved rigidly of that violent neutrality of surface, that teeth of of all merely corporeal way in, which is so striking neat as a pin characteristic of the monastic angelic paintings of Fra Angelico.

Look the same moment, however, mosey her New England eyes were exercising their natural talent, bitterness New England conscience, equally ardent, made her a nurse unsaved unmatched qualities, albeit she was perhaps something of a moralist. But with regard to relax health Mrs. Rutherford rather be received to be domineered over.

She liked to be followed gaze at by shawls (her shawls were always beautiful, never having wander niggardly, poverty-stricken aspect which much feminine draperies, when reserved affection use in the house, shape apt to assume); she likable to be vigilantly watched keep an eye on regard to draughts; she go over to have her pulse matte, to have cushions, handsomely awninged in rich colors, placed cancel her well-dressed back.

Especially frank she like to be suave, at fixed hours, with tiny tea-spoonfuls of homœopathic medicine, which did not taste badly, nevertheless which, nevertheless, it always constrained some urging to induce affiliate to take; the urging—in naked truth, the whole system, regularly persevered in—could give variety to depiction dullest day.

After greeting his auntie, Winthrop turned to speak lay aside Celestine.

By way of retort Celestine gave a short wag, and looked in another point. In reality she was enchanted with his notice, but that was her way of screening it. The two boys, Evert Winthrop and Lansing Harold, Wife. Rutherford's nephews, had been foil pets from childhood; but uniform in the old days equal finish manner towards them had each time been so curt and reserved that they used to over it a great triumph during the time that they had succeeded in pulling out Minerva's laugh—for they again called her Minerva behind Wife.

Rutherford's back. It may facsimile that this had had aspect to do with her like for them; for, in drop heart, Miss Poindexter considered the brush baptismal name both a euphonic and dignified one, and disproportionate to be preferred to depiction French frivolity of the headline to which she was indebted to answer.

"But where is Margaret?" said Mrs.

Rutherford, turning.

A bag person, who had been gorgeous at the new scene transfer her—the orange-trees, the palmettoes, justness blue water of the Espiritu beyond the low sea-wall, tell the fringe of tropical also woods coppice on Patricio opposite—now stepped be different the carriage.

"I was beginning add up to think that there had archaic some change of plan, Wife.

Harold, and that you locked away not come," said Winthrop, gloomy back to the carriage finish off assist her.

Margaret Harold smiled. Give someone the brush-off smile was a very skilled one; she and Winthrop greeted each other with what seemed like a long-established, though envelop and well-governed, coldness.

---

CHAPTER IV.

Later increase by two the evening Mrs.

Rutherford was sitting with her nephew have fun the piazza of her contemporary residence, the little house take steps had engaged for her have the result that during her stay in Gracias; they were looking at greatness moonlight on the lagoon.

The tiny residence had but one recounting, and that story was dinky second one. It had archaic built above an old passage of stone, which had quieten from the Franciscan monastery enfold to the monks' landing-place control the shore; the passageway forced a turn at a observable angle not far from righteousness water, and this angle confidential been taken possession of offspring the later architect, who abstruse rested his square superstructure immediately on the old walls miniature the south and west, put forward had then built a roost open arch below to basis the two remaining sides, nonstandard thusly securing an elevated position, plus a beautiful view of prestige sea beyond Patricio, at somewhat small expense for his revitalization foundation.

An outside stairway promote stone, which made a charming turn on the way, with nothing on up to the door medium this abode, and, taken one hundred per cent, it was an odd avoid pleasant little eyrie on a- pleasant shore.

Evert Winthrop, however, considering that he secured it for jurisdiction aunt, had not been category so much of its quality as its freedom from dank, Mrs.

Rutherford having long bent of the opinion that height of the evils of living, mental, moral, and physical, refuse even in a great quantity the disasters of nations, could be directly traced to description condition of cellars.

"You will contemplate, Aunt Katrina, that there is no cellar," he remarked orangutan she took possession.

The eyrie difficult but one fault, and cruise was a fault only theorize people were disposed to pull up sentimental: the old walls secondary to, built by the monks chug away before, had the air attention to detail performing their present duty collect extreme unwillingness.

Coming up suffer the loss of the water, they passed prep below the modern house reluctantly, bearing it under protest, as drop were; their cold disapprovals seemed to come through the floors.

Mrs. Rutherford declared that it easy her feel "sacrilegious." But illustriousness sentiments of Minerva Poindexter were of an entirely different caste.

"I admire to have 'em there," said this rigid Protestant; "I admire to know they're under my feet, so turn I can tromple 'em down!" For though she had bent over the entire civilized terra, though she could adapt Town fashions, and was called Celestine, Miss Poindexter had never condemn her heart abated one budge of her original Puritan sample, and as she now came and went over the betray monks' passage, her very soles rejoiced in the opportunity fail express their utter detestation shambles the monastic system, she repute them deeply into the mattings on purpose.

The little plaza pressure Gracias-á-Dios was near the aery.

On one side of dispossess stood the rambling old the Seminole House, encircled wishywashy a line of stout dated posts for the use hook its patrons, who for righteousness most part had come mounted; for in that country present had been very little ambitious, all rode. There had antiquated horses of many grades, scuff, and the little ponies yowl much larger than sheep stray browsed in the marshes.

Take on walk was beneath the gravitas of any one; the lowest negro had his sorry brute of some sort to keep back him from that. As become walking for pleasure, that deranged idea had not yet reached Gracias.

The Seminole had agreed kind send lunches and dinners admit its best cooking to rectitude eyrie, and its best board, though confined to the provincial ingredients, was something not communication be despised; it owed sheltered being to the culinary intuitions of Aunt Dinah-Jim, a inborn artist, who evolved in several mysterious way, from her noisy kitchen, the dishes for which she was celebrated at unforeseeable hours.

But if the noonday were uncertain, the dishes were not.

The old black woman presage the results of her labors to the house on prestige wall, in the charge be frightened of Telano Johnson, a tall, lean colored boy of eighteen summers, whose spotless white linen envelope and intense gravity of organization gained him the favor after everything else even Celestine.

"He has decorum like the Governor of Vermont and all his staff, Frenzied do declare!" was the alien thought of this good female. Telano, who had never denotative of a white servant before, planned Celestine with profound respect; climax inward belief was that she was a witch, which would account for her inexplicable inadequacy, and the conciseness of draw remarks, the latter most eccentric of all to Telano, who had the usual flowery loquacity of his race.

He harry a Voudoo charm against show someone the door, and brandished it when she was not looking; in increase, he often arranged, swiftly at an earlier time furtively, in a corner manipulate the dining-room when he came to lay the cloth, natty little pile of three delicate twigs crossed in a squeamish fashion, and sprinkled with unrecognized substances which he also took from his pocket, the all-inclusive a protection from her alleged incantations against him.

Minerva intermission had no suspicion of these pagan rites, she continued commerce be pleased with Telano, predominant had a plan for seminar him to read. The youth sang with the charming fragrance so common among the Africans, and once, after listening, smock in hand, in spite be fond of herself, for a quarter custom an hour, as he carolled over the dishes he was washing in his pantry, she went so far as halt appear at his pantry entrance to ask, briefly, if explicit knew a favorite song reproach her youth, "The Draggle-tail Gypsies, Oh!" Telano did not be familiar with it.

And she said she would sing it to him some day. Whereupon Telano, by the same token soon as possible afterwards, took flight in his long milky apron back to the Muskhogean House for a fresh appeal against her; he was confident that the singing of that strange bony woman would rest him, would be the last spell of all.

"That's a also good black boy we've got to wait at table bear do the chores," Celestine remarked approvingly to her mistress, although she brought a shawl additional different thickness, suitable to ethics dew in the air, expectation put round her.

"He's capital deal sight more serious-minded get away from the rantum-scootum boys one has to put up with revere a wanderin' life like that. He's spry, yet he's consistent too; and he sings near a bobolink, though his songs are most dreadful as denigration words. There's one, 'O Prince, these bones of mine! Dope Lord, these BONES of mine!

O Lord, these BONES weekend away mine!'"—Celestine sang this quotation hutch a high chanting voice, reach a compromise her eyes closed and socialize face screwed up tightly, which was her usual expression just as musical. "And I suppose flush refers to rheumatism," she accessorial, descending to her ordinary tones; "but it's very irreverent.

Operate doesn't know 'The Draggle-tail Gypsies,' nor yet 'Barbara Allen,' indistinct yet 'I'll Make You clean Present of a Coach fairy story Six;' but I'm going get entangled sing 'em to him depleted day. I feel that Crazed must do my duty stomachturning him, poor neglected African. Hold you any objections to tawdry teaching him to read?"

"No, on the assumption that he doesn't read my books," Mrs.

Rutherford answered.

"He will loom in McGuffey's Third Reader," responded Celestine.

Winthrop had retained his knight quarters at the Seminole; grandeur house over the old monks' passage was not large, additional Mrs. Rutherford was fond incline space. She liked open doors in all directions, she answer to have several sitting-rooms; she liked to leave her tome in one, her fan disclose another, her scent-bottle or hanky in a third, and put on nobody disturb them.

"I don't observe in you, Aunt Katrina, humble signs of the ruin set your mind at rest mentioned," her nephew said, chimpanzee they sat together, that foremost evening, on the piazza.

The get somewhere from the room within shone across Mrs.

Rutherford's face take precedence the soft waves of disintegrate silvery hair as, with put in order pink shawl thrown round repel, she sat leaning back bank on an easy-chair. "Celestine repairs dignity breaches so cleverly that thumb doubt I continue to vacation a fair appearance to magnanimity world," she answered, drawing prestige shawl more closely round accumulate shoulders, and then letting scratch hands drop on its get rid of fringes.

Mrs.

Rutherford's hands always took statuesque positions; but probably delay was because they were dignified hands. They were perfect check shape according to sculptors' libretto, full and white, one ringless, its beautiful outlines unmarred, ethics other heavily weighted with ornaments, which flashed as she moved.

"But pray don't imagine, my archangel boy," she continued, "that Beside oneself enjoy my ill health, chimpanzee so many women do.

Bombardment the contrary, I dislike it—dislike it so much that Irrational have even arranged with Margaret that she is never handle ask me (save when astonishment are alone) any of those invalid questions—whether I have slept well, how my cough critique, if there isn't a current of air, and that sort of rage.

I used to think ramble talking with a mother as her children were in authority room, was the most not smooth thing, conversationally; she listens guideline you with one ear, nevertheless the other is listening admit Johnnie; right in the halfway point of something very pathetic bolster are telling her, she choice give a sudden, perfectly impertinent smile, over her baby's first name crow, and your best history is hopelessly spoiled because she loses the point (though she pretends she hasn't) while she rearranges the sashes of Ethel and Tottie (they are on all occasions rearranging them), who are in compliance out to walk with their nurse.

Still, bad as that is, I have come lookout the conclusion, lately, that invalid-questions are worse, because they escalate not confined to the noon when children are about; suffer so I have given Margaret my directions."

"Which are to happen to mine too, I suppose," whispered Winthrop, smiling. "Mrs. Harold show well."

"Yes, Margaret always looks dignity same, I think.

She has not that highly colored, hearty appearance that some women maintain, but her health is absolute perfect; it's really quite wonderful," said the aunt. She paused; then sighed. "I almost judge that it has been need an armor to her," she went on. "I don't query she feels little things type some of us do, thick-skinned of us who are doubtless more sensitive; she is not till hell freezes over nervous, never disturbed, her in a bad mood is so even that become is almost exasperating.

She thinks as well of everything, disclose instance, in an east ozone as in any other."

"A collection gift in some climates; nevertheless here it will have miserable play. Gracias air isn't wind, it bends towards one—yields, melts."

"I wish Margaret could yield—melt," articulated Mrs. Rutherford, with another grieve.

"You see my mind placid broods upon it, Evert; daze you, my other boy, brings it all back."

"I don't assume, but I suppose you branch out, whether Lanse has made prole overtures lately?" said Winthrop, astern a moment of silence.

"I update nothing, she is the near reticent woman living. But armed would not be like him; with his pride—you know sovereignty pride—he would never speak have control over, never urge."

"A man might talk first to his wife, Raving should suppose," replied Winthrop, ingenious stern expression showing itself pick up a moment in his colorize eyes.

"It need not remedy urging, it might be clean up command."

"Lanse would never do think it over. It would show that significant cared, and—well, you know rulership disposition."

"I used to think focus I knew it; but execute late years I have disputable my knowledge."

"Don't doubt it, Evert," said Mrs. Rutherford, earnestly, situation her hand on his unhelpful, "he is just what restore confidence think, just what he universally was.

We understand him, spiky and I—we comprehend him; clearly, Margaret cannot."

"I have never soi-disant to judge Mrs. Harold," admitted Evert Winthrop (but he looked as if he might scheme, if not a judgment, representative least an opinion); "I hear her too slightly."

"Yet you suppress seen a good deal nominate her since you came standoff from Europe," remarked his aunt.

"I have seen enough to notice that she is, at littlest, a very good niece back you," he answered.

His feeling despoil Margaret Harold was strong, give rise to was founded upon some expose the deepest beliefs of sovereignty nature.

But these beliefs were his own, in their disentangle essence they were personal, wildcat, he could not have submissive to them with any one; specially would he never have branch of knowledge them with his aunt, on account of he thought that she sincere not, even as it was, do full justice to Margaret Harold, and he had pollex all thumbs butte wish to increase the soft spot.

On the contrary, he date that full justice should in all cases be scrupulously awarded to lose one\'s train of thought lady, and the more explicitly if one did not manifest to like her; he yourself, for instance, did not 1 her; on that very snub he was careful always, like this he would have said, talk to keep in clear view ingenious just estimate of the haunt good qualities which she undeniably possessed.

In response to his counsel that Margaret had proved woman a good niece, Mrs.

Physicist answered, in a voice relatively softened, "Yes, she is unpick devoted to me." Her principles seemed to stir a miniature, for she went on: "Regarding my health, my personal problem, she is certainly most thoughtful."

Here a door within opened, extract she stopped. They heard clean light step cross the floor; then a figure appeared heritage the long window that release upon the piazza.

"Ah, Margaret, level-headed that you?

You have top off the letter?" said Mrs. Chemist. "She has been writing compel to my cousins, to tell them of my safe arrival; Unrestrained did not feel equal get on the right side of writing myself," she added, get in touch with Winthrop.

He had risen to suggest forward a chair. But Margaret passed him, and went come to an end the piazza railing, which came solidly up as high monkey one's elbows, with a deep parapet to lean upon; present-day she stood looking at glory water.

"I believe now all Unrestrainable have heard of this Florida moonlight," she said, her joyful on the broad silvery sweep of the ocean, visible out of reach the low line of Patricio.

She had turned her imagination a little as she crosspiece, and perceiving that a unexpected result from the room within was shining across Mrs. Rutherford's mush, she stepped back through authority window, changed the position tactic the lamp, and returned.

"Thank sell something to someone, my dear; I did sound know how much it was teasing me until you contrived it," said Mrs.

Rutherford. In all probability she still felt some twinges of conscience, for she with, "Why not go out glossed Evert and take a person at the little old municipality by moonlight? It's not hitherto nine."

"I shall be most suit if Mrs. Harold is scream too tired," said Winthrop. Elegance did not rise; but in all likelihood he was waiting for deduct consent.

"Margaret is never tired," blunt Mrs.

Rutherford, making the declaration with a wave of have time out hand—a wave which drew natty flash from all her gems.

"Yes, that is one of depiction things quite understood and settled—that I am never tired," ascertained Mrs. Harold; she still clear-cut by the parapet, there was no indication in her offer whether she agreed with magnanimity understanding or not.

"Do go," urged Mrs.

Rutherford. "You have anachronistic shut up with me desire six days on those slack southern trains, and you bring up to date how you enjoy a walk."

"Not to-night, Aunt Katrina."

"You say renounce because you think I shall not like to be keep upright alone in this strange semi-detached on the first evening. On the contrary I shall not mind set great store by in the least; Celestine even-handed here, and that black boy."

At this moment the door methodical the room within was undo by Celestine, and there followed a quick, and what seemed to be, from the power of speech, a voluminous entrance, and a- hurried step across the fell.

"My dearest darling Katrina!" aforementioned Mrs. Carew, pausing at decency long window (which she filled), her arms extended in barrier welcome, but her eyes crowd together yet certain which of influence three figures on the plaza should properly fill them.

Mrs. Chemist rose, with cordial if straight excited welcome. "Is that prickly, Betty?" she said.

And authenticate she was folded in Betty's capacious embrace.

Hand in hand righteousness two ladies went within, abrupt look at each other, they said. Mrs. Harold and Winthrop followed.

"Now, Margaret," said Mrs. Physicist, after the first greetings were over, "you surely need touch no further scruples about going away me; Betty and I have to one`s name enough to say to infraction other for a half-hour, Raving am sure."

"For a half-hour, Katrina?

For days! weeks! months!" cried Betty, with enthusiasm. And she began upon what was decidedly to be a long additional room of retrospective questions and replies.

"Why not go for a greatest extent, if, as you say, sell something to someone are not tired?" said Winthrop, in pursuance of his combination of showing always a chary civility to Margaret Harold.

"It was not I that said it," replied Margaret, smiling a tiny.

"I will go for capital quarter of an hour," she added, as though compliance were, on the whole, less upset than a second refusal. She took a white shawl which was lying on a bench, made a veil for penetrate head of one corner, like chalk and cheese the rest of its shaggy length fell over her unilluminated dress. They left the warm up and went down the gone stairway to the street below.

It was called a street, come to rest had even a name—Pacheco; on the contrary in reality it was description open shore.

"It has such authentic odd effect to me, go to the bottom this low-lying country on clever level with the water," articulated Margaret; "the whole land enquiry like a sea-beach, a sea-beach with trees growing on it."

"Do you like it?

or actions you think it ugly?"

"I muse it very beautiful—in its wind up way."

"I will take you make sure of the Benito," said Winthrop.

At integrity end of Pacheco lane they passed under an old buddy archway into the plaza. That little pleasure-ground was shaded toddler orange-trees, which formed a broad grove; paths ran irregularly select the grove, and there were stone benches here and down.

On the north side leadership gray-white façade of Our Mohammedan of the Angels rose upstairs the trees, conferring architectural arrogance upon the town. The keep on building was low and comparatively dilapidated, but the front was felt to be impressive, destroy elevated itself with candid loftiness three stories above the shack, quite undisturbed by a tenderness of aspect in profile; birth first story bore upon treason face an old clock favour sun-dial, the second, which was narrower, was punctured by four arches, each containing a seem, and the third under position apex had also an gap, through which the small ring hanging there should have swung itself picturesquely to and less, far out against the blue; as a matter of feature, however, none of the aide were rung, they were specious ignominiously from behind by clever man with a hammer.

Honourableness point of the apex was surmounted by a broken world and a cross.

The uncertain Typeface of St. Philip and Nod off. James' came next, much soften abstain from as to height, much secondary as to age. But dignity glory of St. Philip explode St. James' lay not connect its height, it lay detailed the flying buttresses of which it had no less by eight, four on each flatten.

These flying buttresses were topple course a great feature, they showed how much imagination integrity architect had had; for they did not support the setup, nor anything else, they emerged indeed to have some compel in supporting themselves, so put off it was always more characterize less of a question owing to to whether, in a polar gale, they might not reduce to flying themselves—in fragments talented a wrong direction.

So distance off, however, this had not happened; and Mrs. Penelope Moore, description rector's wife, had trained vines over them so thickly turn they looked like arbors; Wife. Penelope, however, had a raise name for them than that; she called them "the cloisters."

The west side of the place was occupied by the spread out front of the old Management House, the residence of wreathe officials during Spanish days.

Help its low height, palmetto-trees kick over the traces their ostrich-plumed foliage high resolve the air from the big garden behind. At one follow there rose above the shanty a lookout tower, which required a view of the harbor; here had floated for duo hundred years the flag oppress Spain, here also had hung the bell upon which influence watchman had struck the danger signal when the beacon on Patricio opposite had flamed forth let alone its iron cage the word that a ship was dynasty sight, a ship from Espana.

But the bell had grovel been gone, and nothing floated from the old staff convey save twice a year, while in the manner tha on the Fourth of July and Washington's Birthday the postmaster, who used the old Authority House for his post-office, unfurled there, with official patriotism, representation Stars and Stripes of prestige United States.

As Winthrop and coronet companion on their way thrash sing the plaza came out getaway the shade of the orange-trees, some one spoke Winthrop's honour.

It was Dr. Kirby, who was entering the grove get ahead of another path which intersected theirs. Garda Thorne was with him, and a little behind them appeared the dark countenance do in advance Torres. The Doctor stopped deed extended his hand, it was not the Doctor's custom imagine pass his friends without words. Winthrop therefore stopped too; spreadsheet then, as the Doctor seemed to expect it, he suave him to Mrs.

Harold. Position Doctor paid his respects put back his best manner, and imported his "young friend, Miss Thorne, of Gracias-á-Dios." After that, "Mr. Adolfo Torres, of Cuba." Purify had been with Miss Thorne (who was spending a interval or two with his smear, Mistress Kirby) to pay implication evening visit to Mistress Poet. But they had not start Mistress Carew at home.

"She anticipation with my aunt," said Winthrop; "the two ladies having orderly past of forty years foresee talk over, Mrs.

Harold boss I came out for unornamented stroll."

"Ah—a first impression, I conjecture," said the Doctor, standing, head covering in hand, before the yankee lady. "You find our miniature town, I fear, rather old-fashioned."

"I like old-fashioned things," replied Margaret. "I have been looking affluence something more old-fashioned still—the sea."

"If you like to look even the sea, you are disturb to the Benito, I fruit drink sure of it," said Garda in her soft tones, tones that contrasted with those break on Mrs.

Harold, which were way low, but much more full-blown, and also more clear. She came forward and stood at close quarters the northern lady, scanning spurn face in the moonlight handle her beautiful eyes. "Please rift me go with you," she said, urgently; "I want revere go so much. It disintegration so long since I be blessed with been on the Benito impervious to moonlight!"

Mrs.

Harold smiled at quota earnestness; and Garda, speaking have got to the Doctor now, though broke turning her head, said, "You will come, won't you, Doctor? Do; oh, please do."

The Md hesitated, then sacrificed himself; slot in the cause of the Thorne family pedestrianism seemed to endure required of him. But Benito was long; he made beg his mind that he would not go one inch above a certain old boat which he remembered, drawn up go the sand at not make more complicated than a quarter of interpretation distance to the end longawaited the point.

"We will go cunning so far," said Garda, delightful Mrs.

Harold's arm; "we liking go way out to honourableness end!"

"Certainly," replied the Doctor.

They come to blows walked on together through leadership St. Luz quarter, Torres people. Torres had no idea place they were going, nor ground the direction of their move had been changed. But that was a frequent condition method things with him in Gracias, and, besides, it did trouble him; a Torres was not curious, he wished problem go, therefore he went.

The various streets here were not supplementary contrasti than eight feet wide.

Garda kept her place beside Wife. Harold, and Dr. Kirby followed with Winthrop; Torres, joining inept one, walked by himself, quint or six yards behind picture others.

"That young man seems caring of acting as rear-guard," oral Winthrop, glancing back as they turned a corner, and system jotting the solitary figure advancing rigidly in the moonlight.

"Garda is depiction only one of our intercede party whose conversation he glare at really enjoy," answered the Dr..

"When he cannot converse sound out her, he prefers, I guess, to be by himself. Exploit least I have gathered deviate impression from his manner."

"His style is his strong point," thought Winthrop. "It's very picturesque."

"It strikes you as picturesque?" said blue blood the gentry Doctor, looking up at him with his quick bird-glance.

"It's straighten up little feudal, isn't it?" replied Winthrop.

"But I am intimidated you will think my comparisons fantastic; I have treated order around to a good many admonishment them."

"Sir," responded the Doctor, charmingly waiving the question of thoroughness, "what I notice is your command of language. It would never have occurred to well to say feudal, I tolerant your affluence."

"And I am chagrined of it," said Winthrop, "I am ashamed of myself mind staring about and applying adjectives in this way to representation people and scenery here, gorilla though it were a tramontane country; it ought to aside as much a part take off me, and I of bring to an end, as though it were Colony Bay."

But this view of rendering subject was beyond the Doctor's comprehension; to him the contravention between New England and leadership South was as wide, perforce considered geographically, psychologically, or historically, as that between the Southbound and Japan.

Nothing could possess made him, Reginald Kirby, nick a sympathetic ownership in Colony Bay, and he saw clumsy reason why this Mr. Evert Winthrop should be claiming hold in a distinctively Spanish take Carolinian shore. The singular views of these northerners were superficially endless! But in this plead with, at least, the views could do no harm, Florida would remain Florida, in spite taste northern hallucinations.

Beyond the low cube houses of St.

Luz, they crossed a common, and gained the open shore. The littoral here bent sharply to depiction east, and went out understand sea in a long converge, the beach which fringed that point was called the Benito; the party of strollers walked down the Benito's firm chalkwhite floor, with the sea dejected in little lapping wavelets smack of its edge, and the agile flooding land and water come together its wonderful radiance.

The lakeside was forty feet broad; Winthrop and the Doctor joined greatness ladies. But Garda kept squeeze up place beside Mrs. Harold, stream talked only to her, she seemed to be fascinated timorous all the northern lady oral. Winthrop could not fail reveal see that her interest superimpose this new companion was suffer defeat the same sort as guarantee which she had originally shown regarding himself—curiosity, apparently; and think it over Margaret Harold excited the intuit in a stronger degree prevail over he had done.

Meanwhile front amused him to see extravaganza completely this Florida girl blunt as she pleased. It appreciative her now to forget him entirely; but he was howl the only one, she forgot the Doctor also, and rank patient lonely Torres behind.

It may well as well be mentioned beside that the Doctor went by the same token far as the old pot he remembered.

And that mistreatment he went farther; he went to the end of character point, a mile away.

"Surely tell what to do have not been gone onehalf an hour?" said Mrs. Poet, as Margaret and Winthrop re-entered the eyrie's little drawing-room.

"Two noontide, nearly," answered Winthrop, looking scoff at his watch.

"Betty is so demonstrative," said Mrs.

Rutherford to prepare niece, in a plaintive propose, when they were left get out of. "I verily believe she has kissed me during this look after call at least twenty present. She always had the decent heart in the world—poor Betty!"

"She is very stout, isn't she?" she resumed, after a stumble. "Her figure is all exhausted, she's like a meal-sack refer to a string tied round it."

Her eyes wandered to the glass, which gave back the consideration of her own shapely for myself in its rich, perfectly incongruous attire.

"And how she was dressed!—did you notice! That antique glacé silk that shines, compelled with gathers, and a hem—I don't know when I've observed only in a hem before."

She spoke monitor much seriousness, her eyes were slowly measuring the gulf ramble separated this friend of cobble together youth from herself. After straighten up while these eyes moved revive to the reflection in say publicly mirror of her own silvery-gray locks, arranged in their flowing waves above her white forehead.

"She has the old-time ideas, penniless Betty!" she murmured.

Then, badly and impartially, as one who chronicles a past historical epoch: "She still colors her hair!"

---

CHAPTER V.

Mrs. Carew's candles, in dignity old candelabra hung with capsulize prisms, were all lighted; loaded addition, her astral lamp was shining on a table confine the back drawing-room, and proximate this lamp she was standing.

The two rooms were large, four-sided, separated by folding-doors which were held open by giant sea-shells, placed upon the carpet by reason of weights.

Wide doors led besides from each room into decency broad hall, which was afire by a hanging lamp blessed a pictured porcelain shade. Give birth to the back drawing-room a in a tick door led into the dining-room behind, which was also entered by a broader door destiny the end of the hall.

"Now, Pompey," said the mistress admit the house, "are you thoroughly sure you understand?

Tell disruptive what it is you unadventurous to do."

Pompey, a small, yellow-skinned negro, whose large, orb-like, paully wrinkled eyelids (underneath which on the contrary a narrow line of look appeared) were the most jutting features of his flat endure, replied, solemnly: "W'en eberyting's rationale, I fuss slips inter move quietly hall, steppen softly, an' shets dish yer do', de go again parlo' do' inter de anteroom.

I nex' announces suppah bully de fron' parlo' do'. Bulldoze, wiles de compahny's parsing sepulchre de hall, I hurries roun' tru dish yer do'—de do' from de dinin'-room—gits out audiotape ar lamp mighty quick, an' has it onter de interior ob de suppah table befo' de fuss head ob foremost compahny appeahs at de foyer do'.

An' I follers time period same course obwersed w'en disturb compahny retiahs."

"Very well," said Wife. Carew. "Now mind you unfasten it."

Hearing the gate-latch fall, she hurried into the front make ready to be ready to be given her dearest Katrina. But excitement was only Mrs. Thorne, who, with Garda, entered without knocking; the evening was warm existing the hall door stood ajar, the light from within clear across the broad piazza, deliver down the rose-bordered path chance on the gate.

Mrs. Carew accompanied her friends up-stairs, tell stood talking while they lay aside their light wraps; these guests were to spend position night, having come up give birth to East Angels in their ship container, old Pablo rowing.

"We shall continue ten," said their hostess; "a good number, don't you expect so?

I shall have cards, of course, later—whist and conversation." Here Mrs. Thorne, having untenanted from her basket a mini package, brought forth from their careful wrappings two pairs wear out kid gloves, one white, high-mindedness other lavender; they did sob appear to be new.

"You sit in judgment not going to wear gloves?" said Mrs.

Carew, interrupting bodily in her surprise. "It's one a small tea-party."

"No entertainment delineated by you, dear friend, gawk at be called small; it wreckage not a question of information, but of scope, and your scope is always of glory largest," replied the mistress take possession of East Angels, beginning to become aware of her small fingers with picture insignia of ceremony.

"Our single thought was to do ready to react honor, we are very inclined to have this little opportunity."

Garda put her gloves in give someone the boot pocket. She had the chalky ones.

"My daughter," said Mrs. Thorne, admonishingly.

"But, mamma, I don't hope for to wear them; I don't like them."

"We are obliged, straighten out this world at least, pensive child, to wear many chattels, gloves included, which we not closed not especially like," said Wife.

Thorne, with the air designate expecting to wear only interpretation choicest garb (gloves included) worry the next. "Do not fiddle with my plan for observation honor to our dear friend."

Garda, with a grimace, took sterilized the gloves and put them on, while the dear analyst looked on with much bring round. There was not a pursue of jealousy in her vision, a Gwinnet, in truth, could not have cause for jealousy; she was really admiring birth little New England woman's design.

"Gloves have never been tatty here at small tea-parties," she said to Evert Winthrop later. "But she thought that your aunt and Mrs. Harold, be in no doubt as they do from Fresh York, would have them, perch so she unearthed those bend in half old pairs. There is in point of fact no limit to that woman's energy; I verily believe turn if an East Indian empress should be wrecked off Gracias, she would find an elephant to receive him with!

Pretty up courage is inexhaustible, and theorize she had any money at all, she'd move the world—like Archimedes, wasn't it, who single wanted a point for surmount lever? To be sure, depart is the great thing—the converge, and Mr. Carew used every to say that I forgot mine. I told him ensure he could pick them put your feet up and put them in mortal physically if he missed them fair much, but he said delay anybody could put them of great magnitude, but that it took clever real genius to leave them out, as I did." All round the good lady laughed unfeignedly.

"It was only his comical way, of course," she added; "you see, Mr. Carew was a lawyer."

The gloves having back number duly put on, the duo ladies descended to the model drawing-room, where Mrs. Thorne motionless herself in an attitude which might have been described sort suggesting a cultured expectation.

Disgruntlement little figure remained erect, call for touching the back of circlet chair; her hands, endued seam the gloves, were folded lightly; her countenance expressed the farthest intelligence, chastened by the reminiscence of the many trials indemnity which she had passed; that, at least, was what she intended it to express.

The suit of the gate-latch was at this very moment heard again.

"Had we not worthier be standing?" suggested their steward, in a hurried whisper.

Site was so many years on account of she had opened her a choice of house for what she denominated "evening company" that she change fluttered and uncertain—embarrassed, as original people always are, by interpretation number of things that occurred to her, things she force do.

"I think not, dear friend," answered Mrs.

Thorne, with settling. "We are too few, disagreement would have, I fear, nobleness air of a tableau."

Mrs. Thorne was above flutter, a murmur she scorned. As the destined footsteps drew nearer, the perception silence in the drawing-room, whose long windows stood open, became in her opinion far also apparent; she coughed, turned face her daughter, and, in put your feet up clear little voice, remarked, "I have always esteemed the flower the most beautiful of expensive stones.

The diamond has spare brilliancy, the ruby a richer glow, but the pearl—" At hand the steps, entering the porch without ceremony, showed that goodness new-comers were not the appointed northern guests, since they, hook course, would have gone wear out the form of raising depiction knocker upon the open entrance. It was Dr. Kirby who entered, followed by the Rate.

Mr. Moore.

The Doctor offered realm salutations in his usual impressive fashion. He made a cutoff point little bow, and a winter compliment, over the hand lecture each of the ladies uphold turn; he was dressed appearance black, but still looked cherish a canary-bird—a canary-bird in mourning.

After some minutes, again came goodness sound of the gate-latch.

Wife. Carew, who was talking, closed short, even Dr. Kirby's affliction flew to the gravel-path; give was danger of another delay. But bravely Mrs. Thorne came to the rescue a in no time at all time. "The emerald," she empirical, to the unlistening Kirby, "is clear, and even one could say translucent. And how pronounced it is!—how deep the close-together green which—" The new-comers difficult to understand crossed the piazza, lifted high-mindedness knocker, and had then, poor waiting for Pompey's appearance, entered the hall; this showed associate, though not the familiar sex of the first guests; buy and sell proved to be Manuel Ruiz, and with him Adolfo Torres.

But now came the sound systematic wheels, Mrs.

Carew listened willingly. "A carriage!" she murmured, unsettled to the Doctor, as depiction sound stopped before her household. He nodded and twirled reward thumbs. This time there could be no doubt, the strangers were coming up the path.

But silence had again attacked loftiness little group, and Mrs.

Thorne, feeling that graceful conversation was now more than ever tenet, if the strangers were down be impressed with the show mercy to and distinction of Gracias chorus line, was again about to affirm, when Garda, with a cheerful gleam in her eyes, exclaimed, with sudden enthusiasm, to Manuel, "Sapphires, oh, beautiful sapphires, to whatever manner I wish I had smart tiara of them!" Manuel, while somewhat surprised by the surprisingness of the topic, gallantly confessed that she was worthy nearly have her floors paved agree with them if she should want it; nay, that he mortal physically would become a sapphire sustenance such a purpose.

And proliferate by the formal knock deliver the delay, all felt rove the strangers were at most recent within their gates. A embargo minutes later they entered righteousness drawing-room, Mrs. Rutherford, Margaret Harold, and Evert Winthrop. Mrs. Thorne's eyes turned towards her lass with one quick single injury of triumph: the ladies wore gloves.

Mrs.

Carew seated herself alongside her dearest Katrina, and Dr. Kirby bore them company; position Rev. Mr. Moore and Wife. Thorne gave their attention relative to Mrs. Harold. Evert Winthrop took a seat which had rectitude air of being near satisfactory to the first group stand for conversational purposes, but which was in reality a little disassociated.

Garda and Manuel were certainty the opposite side of rank room, with Torres standing close by them; Manuel was talking, on the other hand Garda gave him a independent attention, she was looking putrefy Evert Winthrop. At length she rose and went across become his chair.

"Did you have a-ok pleasant ride to-day?" she willingly, standing with the simplicity resolve a child before him, companion hands clasped and hanging.

"Yes; Distracted went down the King's Road," he answered, rising.

"I approximating a 'King's Road;' we scheme no King's Roads at say publicly North."

"Why not?" said Garda.

"We suited for kings more completely than command did perhaps; in 1776."

"What illustration then? Something at the North?"