The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-07-27

and settled the knot OF the lace Handkerchief
that was tied over her head. Mildred hncw
what she had boon going to say-kneW ulpehs
had stopped. Mildred know everything. with
out ever leaving her room. or leaving. ct least
that little salon OF their own. at the peasioa.
which she had made 90 pretty By simply lying
there. at the window that had the view OF tho
bay end Of vssuviSs. 'aad tstliAG EAts how 70
arrange and how TO rsarrange every
thing. Bince It began TO DO plain that
.Midssd mnst spend bar email remnant
OF yean altoDthsr Ia warm climates. the
lot OF the two sisters bad been caat II the an
Earnlshed hostelrtes Of southern Europe
Their little sitting room was SURE 10 b very
ugly. and Mildred was never happy till It was
rearranged. Her sister fell to work. As mat
tor OF course. the frst day. and changed tho
place OF all tho tables sofas. chairs. Till ovory
combination had been tried. and the invalid
thought at last that there was little effect
Kate Theory had taste OF her own. and her
ideas were not always tho same - her sisters:
but she did whatever Mildred liked. and II the
poor girl had told her to put the door mat on
the dining table. or the clock under the sofa.
she would have oboyed without murmur.
Her own ideas. her personal tastes. bad besa
folded up snd rut away. lice garments out Of
season. IN drawers and trunks. with oamphor
%
thing. for Southern wear. however indispeAsa.
bic to comfort In tho climate Of New Englsad.
where poor Mildred had lost her health. Kase
Theory. ever sinoe this event. had lived for her
companion. and IL Was almost an inconven.
ience for her to think that che was attractive
to Captain Benyon. It was - II she had shut
up her house and was not In position to en-
tertain. 50 long a. Mildred should live her
own life was suspended: II there should be
any time afterwards. perhaps she would take
II up again; but for the present. In answer
to any knock at her door. she could only
call down from one OF her dusty windows that
she was not at home. Was 1t really In these
terms she should have to dismiss Capt. Ben
yon? II Mildred said It was for her he came
she must perhaps take upon herself such q
duty; for. as we have seen. Mildred knew every
thing. and she must therefore be right. she
knew about the statuss In the Museum. about
the excavations at Pompsii. about the antique
splendor Of Mama Grecia. She always had
some instructive vofume on tho table beside
her sofa. and she had strength enough TO hold
the book for half IN hour at time. That was
about the only strength sho had now. The Nea-
politan wintors had bsen remarkably soft. but
aftor the 6rst month or two she had been
Obliged b give up her little walks N tho gar
den. II lay beneath hor window like single
enormous bouquet. a. early as hiny that
year tho flowers were 90 dense. None Of them.
however. had color so intense as the splandid
blue Of the bay. which fllled up all the rest Of
the view. It would have locked painted. II you
had not been able to see the little movement OF
tho waves. Mildred Theory watched them by
the hour. and the breathing crest OF tho VOL
cano. on the other side Of Naples and the great
sea vision Of Capri. on the horizon. changing
it's tint while her eyes rested there. ana won
dered what would become OF her sister after
she was gone. Now that Perclval was married
he was their only brother. and from one day
to the other was to come down to Naples to
show them his new vile. ~ yst . complete
stranger. or revealed only In the few
letters abe had written them during her
wedding tour-now that Percival was to
be quite taken M. poor Kate's situation
would be much more grave. Mildred felt that
she should be able to Judge better. after she
should have seen her sister-in-law. how
much Of o homo Kate might expect to fad
with tho pair: but even II Agnes should prove
well. more satisfactory than her letters. 1t was
a wretehed prospect for Kate-this living as Q
mere appendage to happier people. Maiden
aunts were worry WE'LL but being a maiden aunt
was only last resource. and Kate's first re-
sources had not even been tried. Meanwhile
the latter young lady wondered as well-won-
dered In what book Mildred had read that Capt.
Benyon was In love with her. She admired
him. she thought. but he didn't seem o man
that would fall In love with one like that. She
could see that he was ON his guard he wouldn't
throw himself away. He thought too much OF
himself. or at any rate he took too good caro-
Of himself-in the manner OF a man to whom
something had happened which had given him
lnao vk>k k-1
that his heart was buried somewhere-in some
womans grave; he had loved some beautiful
girl-much more beautiful. Kate was sure. than
she. who thought herself small and dark-and
the maiden had died. and his capacity to love
had died with her. He loved her memory
thatwas the only thing he would care for now.
He was quiet. gentle. clever. humorous. and
very kind In his manner; but II any one savo
Mildred had said to her that II he came three
times week to Posilippo. 1t was for anything
hut to pass his time The had told them no didn't
know another soul in Naplss) she would have
felt that this was simply the kind OF thing
usually so idiotic-that people always thought
1t necessary to say. 1t was very easy for him
to come: he had the big ships boat with moth
ing else to do: and what could be more delight
ful than to DO rowed across the Bay. under
bright awning. by four brown sailors
with louisiana In Dlue letters on tholr I'm
maculate white shirts. and In gilt letters on
their fluttaring hat ribbons? The boat came to
the steps OF the garden OF the pension where the
orange trees hung over and made vague ysl-
low balls shine back out Of the water KMte
Theory knew all about that. for Capt. Ben
yon had persuaded her to take turn In the
boat. and II they had only had another lady
to 60 with them. he could have conveyed hor
to the ship and shown her all over II. 1t looked
beautiful. Just little way off, with the Amsri-
can nag hanging loose in the Italian air. They
would have another lady when Agnes should
arrive: then Percival would remain with Mil
dred while they took this excursion. Mildred
had stayed alone the day she went In the boat !:
she had insisted on II. and. OF course It was
really Mildred who had persuaded her; though
now that Kate came to think Of It
Capt Benyon had. In his quiet. waiting way
he turned out to be waiting long after you
thought he had lot thing pass-said good
deal about the pleasure 1t would give him. OF
course. everything would give pleasure to
man who was 90 bored. He was keeping the
Louisiana at Naples. week after wesk. sim