ou to it."

"Thank you; but, Mary, what induced you to ramble so early?"

"I have been nearly two miles for some roots Mrs. Carlton expressed a
wish for. See, Florry, how I have dyed my hands pulling them up!"

"Were you alone, Mary?" asked Mr. Hamilton.

"I was, most of the time. As I came back, Dr. Bryant overtook me.
He spent the night at San Jose mission, with a sick Mexican, and was
returning. But where is Aunt Lizzy?" continued Mary, with an inquiring
glance round the room.

"She went to mass this morning," replied her cousin.

"Oh, yes! It is St. ----'s day. I heard the bells at daybreak."

"It is a savage, heathenish custom they have adopted here, of tearing
up and down the streets from morning till night. I wish, by Jove! they
would ride over their canting Padre! I think he would find some other
mode of celebrating the festival!"

"He would lay claim to saintship on the strength of it," replied Mary.

"You had better keep out of the street to-day, girls," rejoined Mr.
Hamilton, pushing his cup away, and rising from the table.

At this moment Aunt Lizzy entered; and after the morning salutation,
turned toward the door.

"You are later than usual this morning, aunt. Do sit down and eat your
breakfast, or it will be so cold you cannot touch it," said Mary.

"No really devout Catholic tastes food on this holy day," she
answered, motioning it from her.

"It must be quite a penance to abstain, after your long walk," said
Mr. Hamilton with a smile.

"Father Mazzolin said, this morning, that all who kept this holy
day would add a bright jewel to their crown, and obtain the eternal
intercession of the blessed saint;" and she left the room.

"That falsehood adds another stone to the many that will sink him in
the lake of perdition, if there be one!" muttered Mr. Hamilton, as
he departed for the counting-room. The last few sentences had fallen
unheeded on Florence's ear, for she sat looking out the window, her
thoughts evidently far away. But every trace of merriment vanished
from Mary's face, and instead of her bright smile, a look of painful
anxiety settled there. A long silence ensued; Mary stood by the table,
wiping the cups as Aunt Fanny rinsed them, and occasionally glancing
at her cousin. At length she said,

"Florry, will you walk over to Mrs. Carlton's with me? I promised to
go, and the walk will do you good, for indeed your cheeks are paler
than I like to see them."

"Certainly, Mary, but do