The San Francisco call., 1904-08-14


and, Of course, I was very much afraid.
I did not know what TO think
Certainly you would not. The
friends who visited me tonight were
from the country Of Cadi. Miss Venn;
some OF them are Spanish mountain
eers; others are Of the kingdom OF
Andorra- They sang at my request
You hesitate TO believe, perhaps. that
I am & romantic person; but the re-
verse is very much the case. The note
OF song, the perfume Of a flower can
recreate a country for me. When
hear such a wild hill song as you
heard tonight, quit the cities and be-
come e free man Of the woods again.
Ny heart is in Spain and will ever be
so. Some day. let your happiness and
opportunities be what they may, you
may know the same longing for your
own country-for a lane in that pretty
Devonshire you have left, or a scene
associated with your childhood-as /
have known tonight. I could wish
YOU no better fortune than to hope
that you viii be able to crafty such
& natural desire. There is nothing
on earth quite so bitter as expatria-
ton from the land of your birth"
II was plain to Esther that he suf-
fered much in this admission; and
while the vague innuendos OF his
promise perpleXed her. and she could
not imagine under what circumstances
she could be an exile from England,
she perceived that his regret was very
real, and that all this splendor Of
home and power OF riches meant moth
ing 70 him II it might not lead him
back ultimately TO the land OF his
fathers.
i could never leave my own country
forever" she exclaimed, sympathetical-
": Whatever new ties might bind
me, I should think OF Devonshire and
my childhood. If you wish me to go
abroad with you, please let 1t be on
the understanding that l can come
home when ] wish / could not con-
sent TO go otherwise, Doctor Xavier" :"
He looked at her in kindly way.
and smiled at her womanly stipula-
ton.
Yussuf gives me a coed account Of
you I hear that you are a willing pu-
pil and are following my prescriptions
faithfully. The alarm which you suf-
fered tonight VIII De useful if it
teaches you that courage is one of the
finest gifts Of your womanhood. There
are many things to alarm us in life, If
we do not use our brains and ask our
selves If we are right 70 De afraid OF
that, however. I do not wish to speak
any more. The men who have quarrel
ed must settle their own differences.
They are nothing to me. / am more
concerned in your own experiences,
Miss Venn. You must forgive me II
question you a little cIoser"
Esther said that she was very will
ing TO answer him and in her own
simple way tried to tell him OF the
treatment she had undergone and Of
its effects as she realized them.
Il am much stronger and very
happy, Doctor" she said. The
baths do me a great deal of good.
OF course ii is very quiet and
restful here. and I feel as though all
the cares Of life had been suddenly
taken from me. l do not want to go
away; and yet / have the energy to
do all sorts Of mad things. The garden
is a fairyland: sometimes 1 wonder If
I really am Esther Venn or somebody
else. Every one has been so kind to
me. ] can not speak too well of the
servants"
He nodded his head; and taking a
lamp from a bracket, he held it high
above her head that he might see her
face more clearly.
Let me look at you, Esther he
said: let me see il 1 can believe you"
She looked uD at him, a little
ashamed at his scrutiny; but under
standing IL, nevertheless. Tor quite a
long time he regarded her as a sculp-
tor might have regarded a statue upon
which he was working. The result,
APPARENTLY, grstifed him. He set down
the lamp and went on with his ques-
tions.
You say that you can rest here; it
is a good sign A disposition to rest
is one Of the secrets Of health: and
health is Indispensable to our success,
Miss Nenn. For the present we viii
go on as We have begun. When we
have left England for the mountains.
IL viii be time enough TO speak Of
change. If ] am gratified with what
has been done, at the same time, 1
make no rash promises. Your obedi-
ence is a kindness to me and earns my
gratitude. Add TO il by permitting me
TO make vet one more observation-I
think it will interest YOU"
He turned upon his heel. and enter
ing his own study Esther heard him
unlock a bureau and afterward lock it
again, When he returned, he carried
upon his arm long blue robe with
hood attached and 4 girdle trailing
upon the ground. This he asked her
10 put on. and helped her to do with
an interest that he could MOI. conceal.
Esther perceived that the coax was of
q strange fashion and apparently old;
she had never seen q more perfect
shade OF blue or one so rich and
pleasing. Why she should be asked to
wear such a robe, or FOR what purpose,
she could not conceive. that it came
from Spain she never doubted She
had seen a picture by Muriilo in the
National Gallery. and the Madonna
there was gowned in such cloak as
this. Moreover. a cross Of diamonds
adorned the hood and there were other
religious emblens in gold and jewels,