ging increased prosperity to the
Hardys. No renewal of the Indian attacks had occurred, and in
consequence an increased flow of emigration had taken place in their
neighbourhood. Settlers were now established upon all the lots for many
miles upon either side of Mount Pleasant; and even beyond the twelve
miles which the estate stretched to the south, the lots had been sold.
Mr. Hardy considered that all danger of the flocks and herds being
driven off had now ceased, and had therefore added considerably to their
numbers, and had determined to allow them to increase without further
sales, until they had attained to the extent of the supporting power of
the immense estate.

Two hundred acres of irrigated land were under cultivation; the dairy
contained the produce of a hundred cows; and, altogether, Mount Pleasant
was considered one of the finest and most profitable estancias in the
province.

The house was now worthy of the estate; the inside fence had been
removed fifty yards farther off, and the vegetable garden to a greater
distance, the enclosed space being laid out entirely as a pleasure
garden.

Beautiful tropical trees and shrubs, gorgeous patches of flowers, and
green turf surrounded the front and sides; while behind was a luxuriant
and most productive orchard.

The young Hardys had for some time given up doing any personal labour,
and were incessantly occupied in the supervision of the estate and of
the numerous hands employed: for them a long range of adobe huts had
been built at some little distance in the rear of the enclosure.

Maud and Ethel had during this period devoted much more time to their
studies, and the time was approaching when Mrs. Hardy was to return with
them to England, in order that they might pass a year in London under
the instruction of the best masters. Maud was now seventeen, and could
fairly claim to be looked upon as a young woman. Ethel still looked very
much younger than her real age: any one, indeed, would have guessed that
there was at least three years' difference between the sisters. In point
of acquirements, however, she was quite her equal, her much greater
perseverance more than making up for her sister's quickness.

A year previously Mr. Hardy had, at one of his visits to Buenos Ayres,
purchased a piano, saying nothing of what he had done upon his return;
and the delight of the girls and their mother, when the instrument
arrived in a bullock-cart, was unbounded. From tha