, 1899-03-28
A E

When I. got Georges letter telling
me that all was now ready for our re-
ception and we were to come at once, l
was delighted Within a week we
mother and I-were on our way out
and in about three weeks time found
ourselves between the swampy shores of
the Essequibo, nearing Georgetown,
where on the quay the dear fellow was
waiting to take us up to the home he
had made for us on his plantation.
George Haden and l had met a year
before during his visit to the old coun-
try, and the big, quiet, sunburned man
and I, who tell this story, had fallen in
love with one another almost at first
sight.
We were to have been married before
he returned to Guiana, but he was re-
called suddenly by the death of his only
brother at Rio, and it was arranged l
should follow later with mother.
You can, or, rather, you can't, i'm
agine how delighted 1 was to see my
sweetheart again. But l was startled
and a good deal troubled by his appear
ance. He looked thin and worried. At
first l put it down to his grief at Harry's
death, but later, after our quiet we'd
ding, on the way to my future home, I
gathered by degrees there was more than
that.
His brother Harry had married a
Spaniard, a beautiful woman, who
had died nearly Is years before, leaving
him with one daughter, Teresa. 1t was
chiefly on this girl account that George
had hurried back, and he had mentioned
in writing to me that he had brought
her up from Rio to stay with him in
Guiana until other arrangements could
be made. Since then l had leard little
Of her and almost indeed, in my own
happiness and excitement, forgotten her
very existence.
Now my questions ELECTED from
George tina. she was not a pleasant EN-
pered young IN OF easy to get Oh
with, but my worst anticipation did not
touch the reality.
We came up the river in a small
steamer, which dropped us at my hus-
bands very wharf, and we three walked
up a slope through a wonderful tropical
garden to where a long, whitewashed,
green shattered house shone clean and
bright in the evening sun
On the veranda stood q tall figure in
q pale yellow gown, her black hair
crowned with crimson hibiscus-a
splendidly handsome womani
She looked ut me in a half disdainful
way.
80 you're my new aunt?" she said
casually. And how do you do, Uncle
George?"
Her calm assumption Of superiority
was unbearable. George-big, steady,
good tempered man that he was-fush-
ed with anger.
He whispered to me:
Never mind, my dear. She knows
no better, and it won't be for long"
But it was for longer than we reckon
ed. She was to have been sent to her
godmother, who lived in Madrid, but
the old lady was i'll and begged us to
keep the girl awhile longer.
It was trying to a degree and each
day got worse and worse. Teresa's tenn
per was something unbearable and her
aeraraI l.ck ~ hammers only eopaled
bv nor .weotness when there was anv.
thing to be gained by it. Still, for my
hpshand,s sake. I bore with her.
Touard the and Of the cool weather
IN, ola Enol;sb overseer died and MS a
atom gan George took ON a Young Span.
ish. American. Ramon MARTINEZ.
Ramon was a smart looking fellow,
thone ,rns somotbipg in his b,act
eva. which repelled me. 1 always felt a
sbr;rL;ny renplsion for the man. and
G.o-oa J;dn,t core mnch for him. Still
r. ,cas re.,ee.arv IN have some one who
rrJorstood tho srgor and men who knew
were so scarce Won couldn't
nioL ard choose
Ta,os. u,ho loyod tho cbeon paveties
~ p;o had bsen s;mnly bored to death
ali the winter Ramon was n podsend
- har and Tho two used tn chat IN
spanish every evening over tnelr coHee