where they found
these wide, free curves of outline--that flaming contrast of color.
Indian skies have rounded over them, Indian suns poured their fervor
into their hearts. In the depth of forest jungles the velvet-coated
tiger has shaken off their petals--glittering, deadly cobras crushed
them in their slow coils; gorgeous-winged birds and insects swept them
in their flight.'

Some new mental impulse sent a rare, faint flush to the olive cheeks,
and filled the uplooking clear eyes with light. This purple-clad shape,
with fiery nasturtiums burning on the breast and filling the air with
their peculiar odor, with the barbaric splendor of tiger lilies
reflecting their lurid glare about her as she stood, bore no more
likeness to the ordinary haughty woman than fire to snow. He would have
liked to have crowned her with pomegranate blossoms--have dropped the
silvery sheen of ermine under her feet, and have knelt there to worship.

She moved away impatiently, trailed her noiseless drapery through the
room once or twice, and came back to the window, where he stood looking
out. Before them lay the sea, calm in a sheen of blue, gathering faint
amethystine vapors, that the sunset would light up in a miracle of
bronze and purple and rose.

'You should have been with us last night! A soft, rushing south wind
filled all the air with whispers, and drew up a veil of lace round the
horizon, very high up in the east. Stars were few; the new moon dropped
tender, faint beams down into the gray mist and grayer water that broke
in ripples of white fire against the dark in the west, and mingled with
the mystery in the east. I want to go again. Mr. Moore, I can manage a
boat; will you go with me?'

With every minute he saw his hard-earned victory slipping away. With
every minute his reeling sense lost foothold in the strange, new
fascination of her excited presence. Will rallied to a last effort; he
muttered some broken excuse, that she must have thought an assent, for
she dropped a soft, white, clinging shawl over her shoulders, slipped
the tie of the jaunty hat beneath her chin, and he could only follow her
as she slid through the flicker of shade and sunshine down to the beach,
where the summer sea washed lazily.

Low in the west and northwest lay piled ominous clouds; white, angry
thunder heads began showing themselves.

'A grand sunset for to-night, and a shower perhaps. We shall be back
before it breaks.'

A small boat--a frail