he House of Martha might know what it meant; and
whether she knew it now, or ever should come to know it, I did not wish
the knowledge to come to her in that way.

"There is still another one of our family," said the Sand Lady; "but she
is very independent, and may not care for me to present you just now. I
will go and ask her."

She stepped off the piazza, and went to a lady who was reading in a
hammock, under a tree near by. In a minute or two this lady arose, and,
with her book in her hand, came toward us. She was a woman of good
figure, and with a certain air of loftiness. Her dress was extremely
simple, and she may have been thirty years old. Approaching us, she
said:--

"I wish to introduce myself. I am a 'Person.' In this place that is all
I am. It is my name. It denotes my characteristics. Your titles have
been mentioned to me. The ceremony is over," and, with a little nod, she
returned to her hammock.

"Now," said the Man of the Sea, "who could prune away conventionalities
better than that?" He then announced that in half an hour the tide would
serve for fishing,--that he was going out in his boat, and would take
any one who cared to accompany him; and this announcement having been
made, he settled himself upon the piazza to talk to us. The conversation
was interesting and lively. The people at this house were well worth
knowing.

The Sand Lady and Walkirk went in the boat to fish. The latter had been
very prompt to accept the invitation. I do not know whether the Shell
Man went with them or not. At all events, he disappeared, and Mother
Anastasia and myself were left upon the piazza. It surprised me that
events had so quickly shaped themselves to my advantage.

"Do you insist," I said, when we were left alone, "on being called an
Interpolation?"

"Of course I do," she answered; "that is what I am."

"You like plain speech."

"I am very fond of it," was her reply.

During the general conversation I had determined that as soon as an
opportunity offered I would speak very plainly to this lady. I looked
about me. The occupant of the hammock was not far away. I surmised that
she could readily hear me if I spoke in my ordinary tone.

"Plain speech appears difficult to you," remarked my companion.

I still looked about me. "It strikes me," said I, "that beyond the other
side of the house there is a bluff from which one might get a view of
the mainland. Would you like to go and find out whether that is