of the sea, the garden
gate clicked, and Captain Rumway came up the walk. He was a handsome
man, of fine figure, with a bronzed complexion, dark eyes, and hair
always becomingly tossed up, owing to a slight wave in it, and a springy
quality it had of its own. The sun and sea-air, while they had bronzed
his face, had imparted to his cheeks that rich glow which is often the
only thing lacking to make a dark face beautiful. Looking at him, one
could hardly help catching something of his glow, if only through
admiration of it. Mrs. Smiley's sudden color was possibly to be
accounted for on this ground.

"Good evening, Mrs. Smiley," he said, lifting his hat gracefully. "I
have come to ask you to walk over and look at my house. No, thank you; I
will not come in, if you are ready for the walk. I will stop here and
smell these roses while you get your hat."

"Is your house so nearly completed, then?" she asked, as they went down
the walk together.

"So nearly, that I require a woman's opinion upon the inside
arrangements; and there is no one whose judgment upon such matters I
value more than yours."

"I suppose you mean to imply that I am a good housekeeper? But there is
great diversity of taste among good housekeepers, Mr. Rumway."

"Your taste will suit me--that I am sure of. I did not see Willie at
home; is he gone away?" he asked, to cover a sudden embarrassing
consciousness.

"I let him go home with Mr. Chillis, last evening, but I expect him home
to-night."

"Poor old Joe! He takes a great deal of comfort with the boy. And no
wonder!--he is a charming child, worthy such parentage,"--glancing at
his companion's face.

"I am glad when anything of mine gives Mr. Chillis pleasure," returned
Mrs. Smiley, looking straight ahead. "I teach Willie to have a great
respect and love for him. It is the least we can do."

Rumway noticed the inclusive _we_, and winced. "He is a strange man," he
said, by way of answer.

"A hero!" cried Mrs. Smiley firmly.

"And never more so then when in whisky," added Rumway, ungenerously.

"Younger and more fortunate men have had that fault," she returned,
thinking of Eben.

"And conquered it," he added, thinking of himself.

"Here we are. Just step in this door-way a bit and look at the view.
Glorious, isn't it? I have sent for a lot of very choice shrubs and
trees for the grounds, and mean to make this the prettiest place in
town."

"It must be very pretty, with this view," repli