okout, and, from its shape, could hardly have
been a residence; in its isolation, not a fortress. Inness said it
looked like a steeple with the church blown away; and then, inspired by
his own comparison, he began to chant an ancient ditty about

"'The next thing they saw was a barn on a hill:
One said 'twas a barn;
The other said "Na-ay;"
And t'other 'twas a church with its steeple blown away:
Look--a--there!'"

This extremely venerable ballad delighted Miss Graves in the carriage
behind so that she waved her black parasol in applause. She asked if
Inness could not sing "Springfield Mountain."

"There is nothing left now," I said, laughing, "but the 'Battle of the
Nile.'"

Verney, who had sketched the tower early in the winter, explained that
the old road to Ventimiglia passed directly through the lower story,
which was built in the shape of an arch. All the carriages were now
together, as we gazed at the relic.

"The road goes through?" said Miss Graves. "Probably, then, it was a
toll-gate."

[Illustration: FEUDAL TOWER NEAR VENTIMIGLIA]

This was so probable, although unromantic, that thereafter the venerable
structure was called by that name, or, as Inness suggested, "not to be
too disrespectful, the mediaeval T.G."

Ventimiglia, seven miles from Mentone, was "one of the most ancient
towns in Liguria," the Professor remarked. Mrs. Trescott, Mrs. Clary,
and I looked much wiser after this information, but carefully abstained
from saying anything to each other of the cloudy nature of our ideas
respecting the geographical word. However, we noticed, unaided, that its
fortifications were extensive, for we rolled over a drawbridge to enter
it, passing high stone-walls, bastions, and port-holes, while on the
summit of the hill above us frowned a large Italian fort. The Roya, a
broad river which divides the town into two parts, is crossed by a long
bridge; and we were over this bridge and some distance beyond before we
discovered that we had left the old quarter on the other side, its
closely clustering roofs and spires having risen so directly over our
heads on the steep side-hill that we had not observed them. Should we go
back? The carriages drew up to consider. We had still "a long drive
before us;" these "old Riviera villages" were "all alike;" the hill
seemed "very steep;" and "we can come here, you know, at any time"--were
some of the opinions given. The P