rouble to me. I wish you could give her a few
hints about it. Miss Graham is a good musician, but she certainly does
not handle the instrument as you do.'

'I shall be very glad to practise with Violet a little,' I said, 'if
Miss Graham does not object.'

Then Nelly called to me from the balcony outside the windows, and I
joined her with a sense of relief at getting out into the still, cool
evening air.

Captain Gates joined us, and leant against one of the stone pillars
enjoying a cigar.

We talked and laughed for some time, then as Nelly moved off a little
farther to speak to Hugh, who had also come out, Captain Gates turned
to me and said, 'You are having rather a hot time of it just now, Miss
Thorn, I feel afraid. Why are you so determined in your views? I feel
sorry for you, because you have every one against you.'

His tone was sympathetic.

'I shall get accustomed to that, I suppose,' I said; but as I looked
away to the still hills in the distance, my eyes suddenly filled with
tears, and I realized how lonely my position was.

'I can't think why you hold out; you are planning a dreary life for
yourself, don't you think so?'

'No,' I said, hastily brushing away my tears, and smiling at his gloomy
tone; 'I shall not be a bit dreary; how could I be!'

'I wish you would explain a few things to me, and then perhaps I should
understand better. Do you consider us all dreadful sinners here?'

'I judge no one, Captain Gates. It seems to me you must have something
to fill your life and interest and occupy you, and if you haven't got
what I have, you must have worldly amusements.'

'And what have you got that we have not?'

I was silent for a moment, then I said,--

'Do you ever read your Bible, Captain Gates?'

'Not often.'

'You will find a great deal about the Christian's portion there, if you
look; but I suppose the summing up of it all is just Christ Himself.
If we have Him we want nothing more.'

There was another silence.

At length he said meditatively, 'I should like to be enlightened. Will
you come for a row on the river to-morrow, and let us thrash the
subject out?'

'I don't know,' I said hesitatingly; 'I will see what plans the others
have.' And then I stepped back into the drawing-room, leaving him
alone there, and wondering if he was really in earnest, or only drawing
me out for his amusement.

When I went forward to wish General Forsyth 'good-night' that evening,
he refused