his face almost in profile, which was most bird-like of all. In
addition, his legs were short in proportion to his body, and he stood on
his small, well-shaped feet much as a canary balances himself on his
little claws.

"I am delighted to meet you, sir," he said to Winthrop. "I esteem it a
fortunate occurrence, most fortunate, which brought me to East Angels
this evening to pay my respects to Mistress Thorne, thus obtaining for
myself, in addition, the pleasure of your acquaintance. Mistress Thorne
having mentioned to me that you were making a little tour of the place
with Miss Garda, I offered to bear you company during a portion, at
least, of your progress, for Miss Garda, though possessing an
intelligence delicately keen, may not (being feminine) remember to
present you with the statistics, the--as I may say--historical items,
which would naturally be interesting to a northerner of discrimination."
The Doctor had a fine voice; his words were borne along on it like
stately ships on the current of a broad river.

"Do not praise me too highly," said the possessor of the delicate
intelligence, from her block. "I could never live up to it, you know."

"Miss Thorne has said many interesting things," answered Winthrop, "but
she has not as yet, I think, favored me with anything historical; her
attention has perhaps been turned rather more to the agricultural side."

"Agricultural?" said Kirby, bringing to bear upon Winthrop a bright left
eye.

"He is making sport of me," explained Garda, laughing.

"Pooh! pooh!" said the Doctor, raising himself a little, first on his
toes, then on his heels, thus giving to his plump person a slightly
balancing motion to and fro. "A little more seriousness, Garda, my
child; a little more seriousness." Then, with his hands behind him, he
turned to Winthrop to present, in his full tones, one of the historical
items of which he had spoken. "These walls, Mr. Winthrop, whose
shattered ruins now rise before you, once formed part of a large
sugar-mill, which was destroyed by the Indians during the Seminole war.
This province, sir, has had a vast deal of trouble with her Indians--a
vast deal. The nature of the country has afforded them every protection,
and clogged pursuit with monstrous difficulties, which, I may add, have
never been in the least appreciated by those unfamiliar with the ground.
The records of our army--I speak, sir, of the old army," said the
Doctor, after a moment's pause,