"I think," said mamma, "that it was an enormous woman, with a baby in
her arms, but I really cannot be sure, for I only looked at the
face--such a hideous, repulsive face. I shall dream of it to-night, I
am convinced."

"A woman!" said Marguerite. "My impression was of a very
murderous-looking man--an Indian, I thought, he was so very dark."

Gabrielle's view of the case differed from the others. The creature
had, she said, a heavy black beard, which, was un-Indian-like, and was
garbed in a dark calico gown with open sleeves, through which she
plainly perceived a pair of unmistakably muscular, masculine arms. In
the words of Macbeth--

"You should be woman,
And yet your beard forbids me to interpret
That you are so."

Neither Marguerite nor Gabrielle had seen the baby, and Gabrielle's
conclusion that this frightful being was a convict who had escaped from
Sing Sing disguised as a woman, was quite logical.

"Chappaqua is certainly in unpleasant proximity to Sing Sing," I said
with a shudder, for I have not many elements of a heroine about me.

"Yes," was mamma's cheerful rejoinder, "and you know we were told
yesterday that one or two of the most dangerous convicts had recently
escaped, and had entered several houses in Chappaqua--to say nothing of
Mr. O'Dwyer's report that that dreadful Captain Jack has escaped, and
is known to be lurking in the neighborhood of our peaceful little
village."

"Pray let us change the subject," I entreated, "or between convicts and
Modocs I shall have the nightmare for a month."

_June 9_.

We have just said good-by to Senor Delmonte, of Hayti, who has gone
down on the 4.45 train, after passing, I hope, a pleasant day with us.

[Illustration: The Train Station.]

We have led such a quiet life since last fall, that a visit from a
friend is a very pleasant excitement, and with the assistance of our
invaluable Minna and Lina, there is nothing to be dreaded in the
preparations. Then, too, it is so pleasant to unpack the superb linen
that Aunt Mary bought abroad--the heavy damask table-cloths with their
beautiful designs, and the immense dinner napkins, protecting one's
dress so admirably against possible accident--and to take out the
exquisite silver and Sevres; everything is perfection, even to the
little gold, lily-shaped hand-bell. Afterwards we go to gather flowers
in all their morning freshness, and if it is ten o'clock, we walk down
to the station to meet