, 1886-10-07
aAh, but every one Isn't 4 drvadr

summer in that capacity she said,
airily acknowledging his meaning. when
I'm at home" she continued, thinking
previous confidence called for a like re-
turn, I'm Miss Amy Desart, Orwell,
everything in general. We're nomads."
I'm most happy, Miss Desart," he be-
gan in the stiff manner some people
adopt when acknowledging an introduce
ton, ito find in you an angel unawares,"
he concluded with regained ease. And
and" he went IN mischievously, Il
think l was bitten by a rattlesnake some
time this morning"
She turned in alarm and met his eyes,
In which he could not repress a twinkle.
"Why, you said you hadn't seen any,
Il didn't see one. but I'm sure l must
rave heard a good many, and one could
easily bite me and | not pay much at
tention to it, you know, in my per-
plexity."
She regarded him carefully, felt
sure that he was a gentle
man, and saw besides the
mischief in his eyes a great exhaustion,
that brought out the silver flask without
further misgiving.
Il came off at 4 this morning, without
any breakfast" and one could see his
WEAKNESS was real. you know he
added. excusing himself, Il expected to
be back at the hotel by 0 with a deer
for breakfast
You are staying at F-sr she asked.
F. was a village IN the line of the
railway, about a mile distant.
Il have been there for the last week,
but intend to return to the city to-mor-
row. suppose you can show me the
way to p
-Oh. yes. l am SO glad it was full"
h said irrelevantly, as he returned her
the empty flask. You must have been
very faint. We are nearly to the path;
and Miss Desart's compliments, and will
Mr. John Westwood deign to partake OF
an informal lunch at Hepsidam?"
MIR. John Westwood accepts with
due informally, not to say that
he jumps at the chance. But
where and what in the name
of the redwoods is Hepsidam?r
"Hepsidam-as the name signifies-is
"a place in the Wilderness, rented during
the summer months to campers for a
small stipend. We nave been down
every summer for three years. But
here we are
He stepped out on the path and stood
beside her. How fragrant and cool the
woods were. The broad, leafy path
made one sigh with pity for those who
were bound to tread the sitting streets
of the city. They o reached the cot
tage, which was not far from where
they struck the path. 1t was an idyllic
repast that awaited them. Mrs. Desart
was as lovely and cordial as her daugh-
ter, and Mr.. Desart was full of bonhom-
mic and ~unconcealed delight, at meeting
any one so recently from the city.
II wish had had the good luck to
lose myself in this vicinity a week ago."
said Westwood, regretlully, as he was
taking his departure, considerably later
in the afternoon.
well, you can find your way here
easily now, and we shall be glad to see
you at any time" said p~aterfamilias,
cordially.
THANK you for your kindness, but my
vacation ends tomorrow" he sighed.
They all Joined him on his walk hotel
ward, to make sure of his taking the
right turns and angles which were to
take him TO p, and it seemed to him
that Amy was even more beautiful in
the tender twilight than before. They
parted from him as warmly as from an
old friend, with cordial hand shakes all
around, and Mr.. Desart told him to run
down any Sunday when he wanted a
breath of the ~redwoods-an invitation
cordially seconded by Mrs. Desart, and
shyly by Amy. They stood and watched
him till he reached a bend in the road,
where he turned INT waved his handker-
chief, at which three handkerchiefs lut-
tered in response, then the bend in the
road hid him from sight. They turned
back on the path with rather a lonesome
feeling, for this bright young fellow,
whom they had not known a dozen hours
before, had proved such a jolly comrade
for the few hours of their acquaintance,
that they honestlyregretted his departure.
And though they would have disclaimed
Indignantly, and with truth, any sug-
gestion that they had suffered ennui be-
fore his appearance, still they began to
look forward to the possible Sunday
when he would come again. They
might have had visitors in abundance,
of course. But, though not by any
means selfish people. they were still not
gregarious to any extent.
Their unsocial instincts were probably
due to their fondness for travelling, and
the ease with which they had always
been able to crafty that fondness. Amy,
In fact, could hardly have told which
was her own country. She was as
familiar with France and Germany as
America and Scotland she has always
loved. But since they had discovered
the redwoodso of California, she was in.
spired by their grandeur TO quite q
strong patriotism, for, though cosmo-
politan bred, she was California born.
The next Sunday. John Westwood
could hardly conquer his desire to
visit his new friends. But he
felt that it would be better taste to
let one Sunday elapse between his
visits. He was not very much expected,
to be sure. as they did not look for him
before two or three weeks. But in that
week. Mr.. Desart received "A telegram
! that demanded his immediate presence
in New York. And in a few days this
family, always prepared for such emer-
gencies, were on their eastward way.
Mr.. Desart, as politeness demanded,
wrote a note of explanation and apology
to Mr.. Westwood, whose address he in
tended to transcribe from the San Fran
cisco directory. His intentions were
good, but when they had left New York
and were far out on the Atlantic, he dis
covered the still unaddressed note in one
of his many pockets.
1t is unnecessary to dwell on the dis
appointment and surprise of Mr.. West
wood, when in high spirits he SET ont on