ut hay or the hidden foliage bounding the
road, were wafted along in the embraces of the gentle breeze. Away to
the left and before him, as his horse cantered along, swelled the
countryside in gentle undulations of green and brown, disfigured now and
again by irregular patches of field and orchard yielding to cultivation;
while to the side a stone wall humped itself along the winding road into
the distance, its uniformity of contour broken here and there by a
trellis work of yellow jasmine or crimson rambler, alternately
reflecting lights and shadows from the passing clouds and sunshine. It
was a day when all nature was in perfect tune, its harmony sweetly
blending with the notes of gladness that throbbed in Stephen's heart.
Yet he was scarce aware of it all, so completely absorbed was he in the
confusion of his own thought.

Stephen had a very clear idea of what he was to do in the immediate
present, but he had no idea at all of what was to be done in the
immediate future. First of all he would attend Mistress Marjorie at this
informal affair, where, perhaps, he might learn more about the Military
Governor. He half surmised that His Excellency was not kindly disposed
towards Catholics in general, although he could not remember any
concrete case in particular to substantiate his claim. Still he knew
that he was avowedly opposed to the French Alliance, as were many
illustrious citizens; and he presumed his feelings were due in part at
least to the fact that France was a recognized Catholic country. There
was a negative argument, too: no Catholic name was ever found among his
appointments. These were but surmises, not evidence upon which to base
even a suspicion. Nevertheless, they were worthy of some consideration
until a conclusion of a more definite nature was warranted.

That the Governor was becoming decidedly more unpopular every day and
that this unpopularity was quite consequential, more consequential if
anything than preconceived,--for it cannot be gainsaid that many had
frowned upon his appointment from the very beginning,--Meagher knew very
well. Unfavorable comparisons already had been drawn between the gayety
of life under a free country and that of a colonial government. The fact
that Arnold possessed the finest stable of horses in the city, and
entertained at the most costly of dinners, at a time when the manner of
living was extremely frugal, not so much from choice as from necessity,
and at a time when t