a tropical sun, there was something specially refreshing
and delightful in the grass, the trees, and the cloud. He found himself
yearning in heart for a life which would leave him more time and
thought for the skies, the trees, and the air.

Suddenly the scene vanished from his eyes, and he only saw Minola Grey.
He was now approaching the canal, and he saw her leaning over the
bridge and looking into the water. It was early in the day--too early
for the nursemaids and the children, and the ordinary walkers, and
there was no one but Minola now in Heron's sight.

The girl, as she leaned on the railing of the bridge and looked into
the water, might have been adopted by any artist as a model-figure of
melancholy. If Victor had been less in a hurry with everything--if he
had remained where he then was and looked at her unperceived for a few
moments, Heaven knows what inspiration of ideas, what revealings about
himself and her might have come into his mind. But Victor waited for
nothing--seldom in life gave himself much time to think, and, in any
case, would have had an instinctive objection to even a moment's
unperceived watching of a meditating girl. He was so rejoiced at the
readiness with which his desire to meet her had been gratified, that he
thought he could hardly seize his chance too soon. In his eagerness he
even forgot that the task he had undertaken was rather embarrassing,
and that he had not yet made up his mind as to what he was going to
say. He was by Minola's side in a moment.

She was so much surprised and startled that Victor was quite ashamed of
having come upon her in such a sudden way. He had forgotten that all
women have nerves, and get startled in ways unknown to men. At least,
he assumed it must be for some reason of this kind that Minola seemed
so much disturbed when he came up, but he certainly had not supposed
that girls so clever and healthy as Miss Grey were usually troubled
with nerves.

Minola recovered herself very soon, however, and got rid of all
appearance of mere nervous embarrassment, although there was for a
while a certain constraint in her manner.

"Have you been long here?" he asked.

"Not very long; at least it did not seem long. I like to be here at
this time; there are so few people."

"Yes; I knew you were likely to be here about this time if you were
coming at all to-day," he said; an awkward remark, as it suggested that
he had come expressly to meet her.

"I come here