ow you to go in public, at least in company with me.'

"I was perfectly thunderstruck. She had never given such an exhibition
of temper before. I had always thought her cold and selfish, but she
seemed to have a careless good-nature, which did not prepare me for this
ebullition of passion. I did not reflect that this was the first time I
had clashed with her interests,--that inordinate vanity is the parent of
envy, hatred, and all uncharitableness.

"I did not attempt to reply, but hastily turned to leave the room. She
had been my father's wife, and the sacredness of _his_ name shielded her
from disrespect.

"'Stop, Miss,' she cried, 'and hear what I have to say. If Mr. St. James
calls this evening, you are not to make your appearance. He was only
making sport of your childishness to-day, and cares no more for you than
the sands of the sea-shore. He is no company for you, I assure you. He
is a gentleman of the world, and has no taste for the bread and butter
misses just let loose from a boarding-school. Do you hear me?'

"'I do, madam.'

"'Do you mean to obey?'

"'I do, madam.'

"I will not attempt to describe my feelings that night as I sat alone in
my room, and heard the voice of St. James mingling with my
step-mother's, which was modulated to its sweetest, most seductive tone.
The desolateness of my future life spread out before me. A home without
love! Oh, what dreariness! Oh, what iciness! Had my father lived, how
different it would have been. I thought of the happy vacation, when he
opened his warm heart and took me in, and then I wept to think how cold
the world seemed since he had left it.

"It was a midsummer's night, and all the windows were open to admit the
sea-born breeze. They were open, but bars of gauze wire were put up at
the windows and doors to exclude the mosquitos. A very small balcony
opened out of my room, where I usually sat listening to the inspiring
strains of the band, that, marching on the ramparts, sent their rich,
thrilling notes in rolling echoes over the moonlight waves.

"It was playing now, that martial band, and the bay was one sheet of
burning silver. I had never seen it look so resplendently beautiful, and
I could not help thinking that beneath that gently rippling glory, there
was peace for the sad and persecuted heart. As I sat there leaning on
the railing, gazing into the shining depths of ocean, St. James passed.
It was very early in the evening. Why had he left so soon