ying that the feeling of fatigue had passed away.

"You _have_ got more color than usual," said Garda, scanning her face.

"A sure sign that I am perfectly well again," answered Margaret,
smiling.

"A sure sign that you are very tired," said Evert Winthrop.

Margaret made no reply, she began to walk northward, with Garda, up the
beach; Lucian Spenser kept his place on the other side of Garda; but
Winthrop joined the Rev. Mr. Moore, who was alone.

Mr. Moore improved the occasion, he related the entire history of the
Spenser, or rather the Byrd family, the family of Lucian's mother
(connections of the celebrated Colonel Byrd). That is, their history in
the past; as to the present and its representative, he seemed quite
without information.

The present representative spent several days at the rectory; and
probably imparted the information which was lacking. During his visit he
formed one, as Garda had anticipated, of the various little parties
which Betty still continued to arrange and carry out for the
entertainment of her dearest Katrina; then he took leave of the rector
and his wife, and returned to the camp in the swamp.

Three days later he came back to remain some time; he took a room at the
Seminole, saying that his hours were quite too uncertain for a
well-regulated household like that of the Moores.

His hours proved to be uncertain indeed, save that a certain number of
them were sure to be spent with Garda Thorne. A few also were spent in
bringing Torres out of his seclusion. For Lucian took a fancy to the
young Cuban; "I don't think you half appreciate him," he said, in his
easy, unattached way--unattached to any local view. "He's a perfect mine
of gold in the way of peculiarities and precious oddities; he repays you
every time."

"I was not aware that oddities had so much value in the market,"
remarked Dr. Kirby, dryly.

"My dear sir, the greatest!" said Lucian, still in his detached tone.

The Doctor was not very fond of Lucian. The truth was, the Doctor did
not like to be called "my dear sir;" the possessive pronoun and the
adjective made a different thing of it from his own Johnsonian mode of
address.

"_I_ appreciate Mr. Torres," Garda remarked, "I always have appreciated
him. He's like a thunder-cloud on the edge of the sky; you feel that he
could give out some tremendous flashes if he pleased; some day he will
please."

"I'll tell him that," said Spenser, who, among his other
accomplish