beginnings, its growth, and its future, when her father's plans
should have been fulfilled.

"And in all these years you have never been back East?" he asked.

"No. We are always planning a trip, but the money which we save for it
goes into more plantings."

They had been moving slowly toward the house, but now he stopped and his
glance swept the sky and rested on Galeria.

"It is the best valley of all! I knew it as soon as I saw it from the
pass!" and the rapture of the scene was sounding in every syllable like
chimes out of the distance. She knew that he was far away from the
garden, and delaying, still delaying. If she spoke she felt that he would
not hear what she said. If she went on it seemed certain that she would
leave him standing there like a statue.

"And there is more land here to make gardens like this?" he asked
slowly, absorbed.

"Yes, with water and labor and time."

Though his face was in the full light of the sun, it seemed at times in
shadow; then it glowed, as if between two passions. For an instant it was
grim, the chin coming forward, the brows contracting; then it was
transformed with something that was as a complete surrender to the
transport of irresistible temptation. He looked down at her quickly and
she saw him in the mood of story-telling to the children, suffused with
the radiance of a decision.

"I prefer the Leddys of Little Rivers to the Leddys of New York," he
said. "I am not going to-morrow! I am going to have land and a home under
the aegis of the Eternal Painter and in sight of Galeria, and worship at
the shrine of fecund peace. Will you and the Doge help me?" he asked with
an enthusiasm that was infectious. "May I go to his school of
agriculture, horticulture, and floriculture?"

Dumfounded, she bent her head and stared at the ground to hide her
astonishment.

"You want citizens, industrious young citizens, don't you?" he persisted.

"Yes, yes!" she said hastily and confusedly.

"Do you know a good piece of land?" he continued.

"Yes, several parcels," she answered, recovering her poise and smiling
in mockery.

"Come on!" he cried.

He was taking long, jumping steps on his crutches as they went up the
path.

"You will take me to look at the land, won't you, please--now? I want to
get acquainted with my future estate. I mean to beat the Smiths at plums,
Jim Galway at alfalfa, even rival Bob Worther at pumpkins and peonies.
And you will help me lay out the flowe