esn't think it's pity, he would never comprehend that, though
you should tell him a dozen times. He's satisfied; Adolfo is always
satisfied, I think."

"Couldn't he enjoy his satisfaction at home, then?--it doesn't seem to
depend at all upon your talking to him?"

"I talk to him when you are not here. You cannot always be here, you
know, but he almost can, he lives so near. Lucian was always going to
see him--don't you remember? He said he was like a mediaeval finger-post;
you must remember that."

Winthrop felt that he was sometimes required to remember a good deal.

He did not, however, have to remember Manuel, at least at present;
Lucian not having discovered mediaeval qualities in that handsome youth,
Garda was content to let him remain where he was; this was the San Juan
plantation, twenty miles away. He had been there some time. His mother
said he was hunting.

"Yes, there are a number of pretty girls about there," remarked Dr.
Kirby.

But Torres, who was jealous of no one, and whose patience and courteous
certainty remained unmoved, continued to accompany Garda and Winthrop in
their strolls up and down the live-oak avenue. He generally walked a
little behind them; that gave him his sentinel air. Several yards behind
him came Carlos Mateo; but Carlos affected not to belong to the party,
he affected to be taking a stroll for his own amusement, like any other
gentleman of leisure; he looked about him, and often stopped; he
appeared to be admiring the beauties of nature.

And Garda talked on, never rapidly, her topic ever the same. Torres, of
course, understood nothing of her monologues. And Winthrop? Winthrop
suffered them.

CHAPTER XII.

Of his reasons for pursuing this course, Margaret Harold knew more than
any one else. For as Garda's devotion to Margaret remained unchanged,
she talked to her as freely as she talked to Winthrop. She saw Winthrop
oftener; but whenever she could pay a visit to Margaret, or whenever
Margaret came down to East Angels, Garda's delight was to sit at her
feet and talk of Lucian. The girl, indeed, had made an express
stipulation with Winthrop that Margaret should be excepted from his
decree of silence. "I must talk to Margaret," she said, "because I am so
fond of her. The reason I like to talk to you is because you are a man,
and therefore you can appreciate Lucian better."

"I should think it would be just the other way," observed Winthrop.

"Oh no; Margaret doesn'