Horace Chase

to his wife that he could not return before the last of the week. As all the preparations had been made, the excursion was not postponed on his account. Nor wa

as much as this man of affairs could enjoy (some persons said "could endure"); after that his face was apt to bet

own pace and outrace her-the little gad-about!" For, to Walter's eyes, Ruth appeared very young; mentally unformed as yet, child-like. His adjective "little" could, in truth, only be applied to her in this sense, for in actual inches Mrs. Chase was almost as tall as he was. Walter was of medium height, robust and compact. He had a well-shaped, well-poised head, which joined his strong neck behind with no hollow and scarcely a curve. His thick, dark hair was kept very short; but, with his full temples and facial outlines, this curt fashion became him well. He was not called handsome, though his features were clearly cut and firm. His gray eyes were ordinarily rather cold. But when he was animated-and he was usually very animated-young Willoughby looked full of life. He was fond of pleasure, fond of amusement. But this did not prevent his possessing,

figure in the white ball dress, that floated backward in the rapid motion, her happy face with the starry eyes and beautiful color coming and going-this made a picture which those who were present remembered long. At ten o'clock she had begun to dance; at two, when many persons were taking leave, she was still on the floor; with her circle of admirers, it was now Mrs. Chase who was keeping up the ball. Her mother, who was staying with her during her husband's absence, had accompanied her to Andalusia. But there was no need to ask whether Mrs. Franklin was tired; Mrs. Franklin was never tired in scenes of gayety; she was as well entertained as her daughter. Wal

ilful and strong; he bore his partner down the long room, guiding her so securely that she was not obliged to think of their course; she could leave that entirely to him, and give herself up to the enjoyment of the motion. As they returned towards the music for the third time, she supposed that he would stop. But he did not; he swept her down again, and in shorter circles that made her, lig

om. Ruth, after a moment, began to laugh also, while she pressed her hands over her eyes to help herself see more cl

der any circumstances. But I wanted to make you for once acknowledge t

h, surprised. She

preoccupied yourself, and so preoccupation in others seems to you stupidi

en lazy myself,"

y poor, dull, reasonable man would ever dream of doing," Walter went on. "I dare say yo

"I have spent ten days at L'Hommedieu in that way ma

tinued. "Because the music really has stopped this time, and I see your mother's eyes turning thi

ay again (for his bribe had been a generous one), and

etter than anything else in

use of me often, Mrs. Chase. When I've nothing to do I become

n?" inquired Mrs. Franklin, laughing,

a widow of thirty-seven with a fortune,

she ha

force me forward-such a tender flower as I am-to certain defeat? It is on that account

t St. Francis that winter belonged to the First Artillery; to-day the colonel and his family, the captain and his wife, and the two handsome lieutenants took part in the excursion; there were fifty people in all, and many yachts, from the big Seminole down

arolina mountains, Mrs. Chase, that its name happens to be Asheville, after that stupid custom of tacking the French 'ville' to some man's name; (for I take it that A

hing in our Higgsvilles and Slatervilles. I see the first log cabins in the little clearing; then a short, stump-bedecked street; then two or three streets and a court-house. The H

yes, I dare say!"

d forty-one in New

me the children; I have known mothers to produce simply from their own imaginations such titles as Me

ll her for short?

ghby!" said Lil

Mrs. Franklin went on, "because by the terms of her husband's will

f a woman has been a good wife to one man, is that any reason why

e?" repea

the more persons one loves, the more sweet and generous one's nature becomes. If any one has been bereaved, I am always so glad to hear that they are in lov

ich had been topped in the Spanish days with an iron grating and a bonfire, now displayed a revolving light, which flashed and then faded, flashed and faded, signalling out to sea the harbor of St. Augustine. Under the tower stood a coquina house for the keeper, and the whole was fortified, having a defensive wall, with angles and loop-holes. Nothing could have been more beautiful than the soft sapphire tint of th

gain, if you lik

ulatory thought. "Even fifteen years ago she was finished-done!" Then he added, aloud: "I think I'll accompany you, if you are going out again. The afternoon promises to be endlessly long here, with noth

re?" asked Mrs. Franklin. "The

Dolly. "I should much ra

that walk to the landing a secon

w steps, she had to give it up. "I should think

anklin. "Sailing and sea-beans and poetry are all very well. But I

, therefore, recrossed the island and

ed Walter. "Some of our people? Has

replied Etheri

ll; the Owl and the Pussycat flew after that s

they drew nearer. She had recogniz

ert Tillotson,

ge a boat than I can manage a comet! Poor Mrs. Kip is in actual danger of her life. The idea of that Tom Noddy of a Tillotson dari

ain after this man?uvre had been successfully executed. "He is a clever old fellow! Of course he knew she was out, an

glad he has gone," she said; "for now we need not talk-just sail and sail! Let us go over so

lanced furtively at his watch. "I can ke

traightened herself (she had been lying back indolently, with one hand behind her

of that New England phrase of condemnation, 'You don't know beans'? It will be said that I don't

nd; another idea soon took possess

ever landed at this point. Can't we land now,

un, Mrs. Horace? A wild-

ls. Perhaps this trail leads to a pool?" The surmise was correct; the path soon brought them within sight of a dark-looking pond, partly covered with lily leaves. Ruth, who was first (for the old Indian trail was so narrow that they could not walk side by side), turn

ed. For she seemed to him so fearless tha

gator was visible, and Ruth, seating herself in the loop of

" he said. "I really believed

on't attack people; t

f being more timid than sh

omething cross this ridge about thirty feet ahead of them-a slender dark

a long branch, Mrs. Chase, and then, as you like adventures, you can see him strike." Where they stood, they were safe, for the snake (it was a young rattlesnake) would not come up the ascent; when he moved, he would glide the other way into the thicket. Hastily cutting a

struck at it with his fangs exposed. Walter, excited and interested, waited to see him strike again. But there was no opp

to the thicket, he is a quarter of a mile away by this time." For he was

along the ridge until she came to a broad open space of white sand, over wh

apparently had no fear of bears or alligators, b

Dolly is always fainting! What

t. But she sobbed and sobbe

ow I have made you suffer. These Florida snakes do very little harm, unless one happens to step on them unawares. I di

ured, brokenly. "Did you see its-its mouth?" She was so white that

ed. "You must not mind if I happen to look rather pale," she said, timidly. "I am sometimes very pale for a moment or two. And then

hat he drew her hand through his arm and held it. Giving her in this way all the help he could, he took her towards the shore, choosing a route through open spaces, so that there should be no vision of any gliding thing in the underbrush near by. When they were off again, crossing the Matanzas on a long tack, she was still very pallid. "I haven't been clever," he though

e the returning red. "But I am dreadfully cut up and wretched about that fright I was stu

rever," Ruth answered. Then she added, still timidly

things, what a creature of extremes! She must lead Horace C