." Presently he sauntered out: the morning stir was just beginning in
the village. The child to whom he had spoken at "Tantibba's" gate, the
night before, came up, driving the same flock of goats. The little
fellow, as he passed, pulled the ragged tassel of his cap in token of
recognition of the stranger who had accosted him. Without any definite
purpose, Dr. Eben followed slowly on, watching a pair of young kids, who
fell behind the flock, frolicking and half-fighting in antics so
grotesque that they looked more like gigantic grasshoppers than like
goats. Before he knew how far he had walked, he suddenly perceived that
he was very near "Tantibba's" house.

"I'll walk on and steal another handful of the lavender," he thought;
"and if the old woman's up, perhaps I'll get a sight of her. I'd like to
see what sort of a face answers to that outlandish name."

As the doctor leaned over the paling, and looked again at Hetty's
garden, he saw something which had escaped his notice before, and at
which he started again, and muttered--this time aloud, and with an
expression almost of terror,--"Good Heavens, if there isn't a
chrysanthemum bed too, exactly like ours! what does this mean?" Hetty
had little thought when she was laying out her garden, as nearly as
possible like the garden she had left behind her, that she was writing a
record which any eye but her own would note.

"I believe I'll go in and see this old French woman," he thought: "it is
such a strange thing that she should have just the same flowers Hetty
had. I don't believe she's an adventuress, after all."

Dr. Eben had his hand on the latch of the gate. At that instant, the
cottage door opened, and "Tantibba," in her white cap and gray gown, and
with her scarlet basket on her arm, appeared on the threshold. Dr. Eben
lifted his hat courteously, and advanced.

"I was just about to take the liberty of knocking at your door, madame,"
he said, "to ask if you would give me a few of your lavender blossoms."

As he began to speak, "Tantibba's" basket fell from her hand. As he
advanced towards her, her eyes grew large with terror, and all color
left her cheeks.

"Why do I terrify her so?" thought Dr. Eben, quickening his steps, and
hastening to reassure her, by saying still more gently:

"Pray forgive me for intruding. I"--the words died on his lips: he
stood like one stricken by paralysis; his hands falling helplessly by
his side, and his eyes fixed in almost ghast