The White People

s spread out farther than I had ever seen the branches of an apple-tree spread before. They were gnarled and knotted and beautiful with age. The

nclosed it embracingly, as if they were there to take care of it and its beauty. But the tree itself seemed to have grown there in

der me by the terms they use, but I thought I understood what they meant in her case. She was quite unlike the mo

rofile seemed cut out of ivory and that her head was a beautiful shape and was beautifully set. Its every turn and movement was exquisite. The mere fact that both her long, ivory hands enfolded mine thrilled me. I

Beauty-Beauty's very spirit moving

hers also. They watched me as we talked, and I found myself telling her about my home as I had found myself telling him. He had evidently talked to her about it hi

s if I somehow belonged to some one. I had always seemed so detached from every one. I had not been miserab

made people happy to be near her. All she said and did was like her light step and the movements of her delicate, fine head-gracious and soft and arrestingly lovely. She did not let me drift away and sit in a corner looking on, as I usually did among strangers. She kept me near her, and in some subtle, g

ome, aquiline face which looked very clever. His talk was brilliantly witty. When he spoke people paused as if they could not bear to lose a phrase or

t, too. He had a lovely daughter who was killed instantly, in his presence, by a fall. They had been inseparable companions

MacNairn was showing me a cloud of blue larkspurs in a corner w

Now you see what I mean! The girl stand

e with him, but it seemed as if for a moment he had forgotten them-had forgotten where he was. I wondered suddenly if his daughter had been fond of irises. He was looking at th

id in a rather startled tone. "T

how fair she i

It is so lovely. Don't you think s

. There was a singular interest and intensity in his express

d it IS lovely. I don't seem to know her well. She must be a

ris herself, doesn't she?

I know," h

n't seem to recognize my description of her. Mr. Le Breto

was near Mr. Le Breton when he was looking at the iris-bed. You were c

used a moment an

g a girl. I was cutting some buds for Mrs. Anstruther. I-" She paused again and turned to

nquiring because this girl was one of those she calls the

s. MacNairn smilingly gave me one of h

r told me about the White People.

as I slowly shook my head. You se

," she said. "Perhaps it was Anabel Mere. She is a more transparent sort of girl than