larly to walk with me, and see that she does not expose herself in
any way. Study is no hindrance to health; learning has no malevolent
effect upon the body. I think people often get sick for want of
something to think of."

How sure I felt, as I went up to bed that night, that no such easy
cause of sickness would be mine for long years to come!

CHAPTER II.

MY HOME.

The next day we were to go to Magnolia. It was a better day than I
expected. Preston kept me with him, away from Aunt Gary and my
governess; who seemed to have a very comfortable time together.
Magnolia lay some miles inland, up a small stream or inlet called the
Sands River; the banks of which were studded with gentlemen's houses.
The houses were at large distances from one another, miles of
plantation often lying between. We went by a small steamer which plied
up and down the river; it paddled along slowly, made a good many
landings, and kept us on board thus a great part of the day.

At last Preston pointed out to me a little wooden pier or jetty ahead,
which he said was my landing; and the steamer soon drew up to it. I
could see only a broken bank, fifteen feet high, stretching all along
the shore. However a few steps brought us to a receding level bit of
ground, where there was a break in the bank; the shore fell in a
little, and a wooded dell sloped back from the river. A carriage and
servants were waiting here.

Preston and I had arranged that we would walk up and let the ladies
ride. But as soon as they had taken their places I heard myself
called. We declared our purpose, Preston and I; but Miss Pinshon said
the ground was damp and she preferred I should ride; and ordered me
in. I obeyed, bitterly disappointed; so much disappointed that I had
the utmost trouble not to let it be seen. For a little while I did not
know what we were passing. Then curiosity recovered itself. The
carriage was slowly making its way up a rough road. On each side the
wooded banks of the dell shut us in; and these banks seemed to slope
upward as well as the road, for though we mounted and mounted, the
sides of the dell grew no lower. After a little, then, the hollow of
the dell began to grow wider, and its sides softly shelving down; and
through the trees on our left we could see a house, standing high
above us, but on ground which sloped towards the dell, which rose and
widened and spread out to meet it. This sloping ground was studded
with magnificent li