g of Floracita lately? She went away while I was sleeping."

"No, missy," she replied. "The last I see of her was in her room, with
the embroidery-frame before her. She was looking out of the window, as
she did sometimes, as if she was looking nowhere. She jumped up and
hugged and kissed me, and called me 'Dear Tulee, good Tulee.' The
little darling was always mighty loving. When I went there again, her
needle was sticking in her work, and her thimble was on the frame, but
she was gone. I don't know when she went away. Thistle's come back
alone; but he does that sometimes when little missy goes rambling
round."

There was no uneasiness expressed in her tones, but, being more
disquieted than she wished to acknowledge, she went forth to search
the neighboring wood-paths and the sea-shore. When she returned, Rosa
ran out with the eager inquiry, "Is she anywhere in sight?" In reply
to the negative answer, she said: "I don't know what to make of it.
Have you ever seen anybody with Floracita since we came here?"

"Nobody but Massa Gerald," replied Tulee.

"I wonder whether she was discontented here," said Rosa. "I don't see
why she should be, for we all loved her dearly; and Gerald was as kind
to her as if she had been his own sister. But she hasn't seemed like
herself lately; and this forenoon she hugged and kissed me ever so
many times, and cried. When I asked her what was the matter, she said
she was thinking of the pleasant times when _Papasito querido_ was
alive. Do you think she was unhappy?"

"She told me once she was homesick for Madame Guirlande," replied
Tulee.

"Did she? Perhaps she was making so many things for Madame because she
meant to go there. But she couldn't find her way alone, and she knew
it would be very dangerous for either of us to go to New Orleans."

Tulee made no reply. She seated herself on a wooden bench by the open
door, swinging her body back and forth in an agitated way, ever and
anon jumping up and looking round in all directions. The veil of
twilight descended upon the earth, and darkness followed. The two
inmates of the cottage felt very miserable and helpless, as they sat
there listening to every sound. For a while nothing was heard but the
dash of the waves, and the occasional hooting of an owl. The moon rose
up above the pines, and flooded earth and sea with silvery splendor.

"I want to go to the plantation and call Tom," said Rosa; "and there
is such bright moonshine we might g