ough silver fog
which had tempted Garda. Their departure had been sudden, it was due to
a telegraphic despatch which had come to Rosalie from her uncle in New
York; he was seriously ill, and wished to see her. This was the uncle
under whose roof she had spent her childhood and youth. She had not been
especially attached to him, she had never supposed that he was attached
to her. But all who bore the Bogardus name (save perhaps Rosalie
herself) reserved to themselves the inalienable right of being as
disagreeable to each other personally, year in, year out, as they chose
to be, while remaining, nevertheless, as a family, indissolubly united;
that is to say, that though as Cornelia and John, Dick and Alida, they
might detest each other, and show not the slightest scruples about
evincing that feeling, designated by their mutually shared surname their
ranks closed up at once, like a line of battle under attack, presenting
to the world an unbroken front. Dying, old John Bogardus had wished to
see Rosalie--Rosalie, his brother Dick's child, who had made that
imprudent marriage; he felt it to be his duty to advise her about
certain investments. In answer to his despatch, Lucian had taken his
wife north.

When they reached New York, Rosalie found her uncle better; the
physicians gave no hope of recovery, but they said that he might linger
in this way for two months or more. In this state of affairs Lucian
suggested to his wife that he should leave her there, and take a flying
trip to New Orleans; he had always wished to make that journey in the
winter, and this seemed as good an occasion as any, since, naturally,
"Uncle Giovanni" could have no very burning desire to see him, Lucian,
day after day. Rosalie, anxious always to put herself in accord with her
husband's ideas, gave her consent; the separation, even for a few weeks,
would be hard for her, but that she would bear to give Lucian
entertainment.

He left her, therefore, a little before the middle of December. And if
he arrived at Gracias-a-Dios instead of at New Orleans, this was because
he was taking in Gracias on the way; was it not as easy to come first to
Florida, and then cross the southern country westward to the beautiful
city on the Louisiana shore, as to follow the long course of the
Mississippi down? If it was not as easy, in any case he preferred it,
and the course Lucian Spenser preferred he generally followed.

It was fortunate, therefore, that he preferre