The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1885-04-15

pea ana laid her on the bed. The SER
want OF the house was sent for doctor.
and, as | retired, Pauline thanked me
quietly, but l fancied lis lessly, for nv
kindness. Those dreamy eyes met mine,
yet scarcely seemed to know it. Yes,
was obliged to confess it. my goddess
was In manner apathetic- then, her
beauty! Those refined regular features,
the ,gllrlish but well-formed figure-the
thick brown hair, even those strange dark
eyes. Surely there was no woman in the
world to compare with her
She gave me her hand at partine-a
small welcomed soft hand | could
scarcely refrain from pressing nv lips to
i'll could scarcely refrain from telling
her then and there that for months had
thought of her and her only-but iniu-
dlclous as such proceedings might have
been at first meeting thoy would have
been doubly SO whilst old Teresa was
lying and, in spite of her palms, with
suspicious eyes watching every move
ment of mine; so l could only express a
wish to be of further service to her and
bow myself out discreetly.
But the ice was broken-our hands
had met. Pauline and 1 were strangers
no longer!
Old Teresas sprain, although not such
a serious affair as she fancied, kept her
indoors for several days. 1 hoped this
would enable me to improve my acquaint-
ance with her mistress, but the result
was not commensurate with the hope.
For the first few days Pauline, so far as
l knew, did not leave the house. Once
or twice 1 met her on the stairs and, as
Stunning a fictitious interest in the old
woman, kept her in conversation for a
minute or two. 1t seemed to me that
she was painfully shy-so shy ina the
conversation would fain have prolonged,
after little while died natural death.
was not conceited enough to attribute
her shyness and re icence to the same
cause which made me blush and stammer
as / spoke to her.
At last, one morning 1 saw her leave
the house alone. I took my hat and fol-
lowed her. She was walking up and
down the pavement in front of the house.
I joined her and after the usual inquiry
for Teresa, continued at her side. T
must make an attempt to establish mat
ters on better footing between us.
"You have not been long in England,
Miss March ?" said
g Some time-some months, she re-
piled.
81 saw you in the Spring at Turin
in church, at San Giovanni She raised
her eyes and met mine with strange
puzzled look.
"You were there" with your old ser.
vant-onA morning, continued.
Yes-we often went there
s'You are English, L sup, ose-youl
name is not an Italian cne?"
Eyes, am English.
She spoke as though not quite certain
about iG7zor as if it was matter Of COM
plete indifference.
.'Your home is here-You are not
going back to Italy ~
L don KNOW cannot tell. !"
Paullne's manner was very unsatisfy-
ing, L made many attempts to learn
Did she play OF sing-was she fond of
stage, of travelling? Had she many
relations and friends Directly and in
/ asked her all these questions
Her replies were unsatisfactory.
Either she evaded the questions as if
determined [ should know nothing about
her, or she did not seem to understand
them. Many of them L felt sure puz-
zled her. At the end of our little prom
enade she remained as great mystery
to me rs before. The only comfort could
take was that she displayed no wish to
shun me. We passed and repassed the
house several times, but she did not sug-
gest re-entering, as she might have done
had she wished to get rid of me. There
was no trace of coquetry in her manner
quiet and reserved as L found her, she
was at least simple and natural and she
was very beautiful, and | was very, very
much in love
1t was not long before I discovered
that old Teresas black eyes were watch
ing us from behind the blind of the
drawing She must have crept
from her bed to see chat her charge got
into no mischief. 1 chafed at the espi-
onage, but as yet it was to early to escape
from it.
Before Teresa could hobble out of
daors had met Pauline more than once
III the same way. She seemed to be
pleased when | joined her. The diff
Guilty L labored under was to make her
talk. She would listen to all l had to
say without comment and without reply,
save yes or no. If, by rare chance,
she asked question or spoke a longer
sentence than usual the effort was never
sustained. / attributed a great deal OF
tnlS 10 SnyneSS and to her secluded lie
for the only person she had to speak to
was that terrible old Teresa
Although every word and action of
Pauline's told me she was well educated
and well-bred, l was certainly surprised
at her ignorance of literature. Iquoted
an author, mentioned book by name,
the remark passed unnoticed OF she
looked at me as if puzzled by my allu-
eiOn 1ict1accad of ba1. own iornOTnnnn
Although I had now seen her several
I had made. I knew / had not as yet
struck the keynote of her nature.
AS soon as the old servant, duenna,
friend or what she was, grew well, L
heard some startling news, My land
lady asked me if could recommend her
apartments to any friend of mine such
nnnther as 1,n1.nnlf sha ,naa crnnd annroh