or could
not be found.

What little time there was between the time of his arrival and supper,
he kept them laughing by relating some very interesting experiences.

At the supper table he was given the seat of honor, Mrs. Wheelwright
being on his right and Stella on his left. Stella had on a fine, white
dress, with white satin ribbon at the neck and sleeves, and, as her
complexion was dark and her hair jet black, it became her exceedingly
well. There are some young ladies who need to have very fine dresses to
make them at all presentable; they are so dependent on the style of the
dress for giving them a good form and fine appearance, but it was not so
with Stella. Her fine form and graceful movements would make any dress
look well; she set off the dress. The table was laid with a snowy-white
damask tablecloth, moss-rose pattern, with napkins to match. Also a
moss-rose tea set. The table did not groan with a lot of heavy, greasy
food; no, there was very fine bread, good sweet butter, nectarine sauce
and blackberry jelly, cake, pineapple sherbet, vanilla ice-cream, milk,
weak tea, and some sweetmeats, and nuts.

The meal was eaten very leisurely, for the conversation was very
interesting, all taking part in it. Penloe had that rare gift of a good
conversationalist, being able to make others talk their best instead of
doing all the talking himself. Stella and Penloe were both good at
repartee. The ladies talked more than Penloe, and there seemed to be a
real genuine feeling, as if one spirit pervaded them all.

After supper, Mr. Wheelwright had an opportunity of talking to Penloe,
on the porch, about subjects that he was most interested in, while the
ladies washed the dishes. Later on, the ladies joined them, and a most
agreeable evening was spent. Mr. and Mrs. Wheelwright excused themselves
when their regular time for retiring came, and as it was such a lovely
moonlight evening, Stella invited Penloe to keep her company on the
porch, saying, "The evening is so beautiful." Yes, it was beautiful. It
was one of those matchless evenings in California that must be seen and
enjoyed to be fully appreciated, and by a soul in touch with the
sublime. To realize the grandeur of the sky, with its clear atmosphere,
on those fine evenings, is to experience one of the richest joys of
existence. Language is inadequate to describe such beauty.

The two souls on the porch were in touch with the Divine, which
manifested Itself in all t