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