out on those who are singing it, you'd see they are resting from
their labours; that they are fighting the ennui which most of us feel
when we rest from our labours. Let us look at them."

The governor stood up and came to the open French windows that faced the
fields of sugar-cane. In the near distance were clumps of fruit trees,
of hedges of lime and flowering shrubs, rows of orange trees, mangoes,
red and purple, forbidden-fruit and grapefruit, the large scarlet
fruit of the acqui, the avocado-pear, the feathering bamboo, and the
Jack-fruit tree, with its enormous fruit like pumpkins. Parrots were
chattering in the acacia and in the Otaheite plum tree, with its bright
pink blossoms like tassels, and flanking the negro huts by the river
were bowers of grenadilla fruit. Around the negro huts were small
individual plantations kept by the slaves, for which they had one day a
fortnight, besides Sundays, free to work on their own account. Here and
there also were patches of "ground-fruit," as the underground vegetables
were called, while there passed by on their way to the open road leading
to Kingston wains loaded with sugar-casks, drawn by oxen, and in two
cases by sumpter mules.

"Is there anything finer than that in Virginia?" asked the governor.
"I have never been in Virginia, but I take this to be in some ways like
that state. Is it?"

"In some ways only. We have not the same profusion of wild fruits and
trees, but we have our share--and it is not so hot as here. It is a
better country, though."

"In what way is it better?" the governor asked almost acidly.

"It is better governed."

"What do you mean by that? Isn't Jamaica well governed?"

"Not so well that it couldn't be improved," was Sheila's reply.

"What improvements would you suggest?" Lord Mallow asked urbanely, for
he was set to play his cards carefully to-day.

"More wisdom in the governor," was the cheerful and bright reply.

"Is he lacking in wisdom?"

"In some ways, yes."

"Will you mind specifying some of the things?"

"I think he is careless."

"Careless--as to what?"

Sheila smiled. "He is indifferent to good advice. He has been told of
trouble among the Maroons, that they mean to rise; he has been advised
to make preparations, and he makes none, and he is deceived by a show
of loyalty on the part of the slaves. Lord Mallow, if the free Maroons
rise, why should not the black slaves rise at the same time? Why do you
not act?"

"Is