cares for it, as I do,--and that's the
truth."

His glance was fixed upon the bud, which seemed to throb and stir as he
spoke. The soft explosive force within was at work so strongly that the
eye could watch its operation. The fissures of the sheath widened
visibly and turned white as the two men looked at them.

"It is a shame to watch this beautiful thing happening for only us,"
Farnham said to the gardener. "Go and tell Mrs. Belding, with my
compliments, and ask her and Miss Belding to come down." But observing
his crestfallen expression, he took compassion on him and said: "No,
you had better remain, for fear something should happen in your
absence. I will go for the ladies."

"I hope ye'll not miss it," said Fergus, but his eyes and his heart
were fixed upon the bud, which was slowly gaping apart, showing a faint
tinge of gold in its heart.

Farnham walked rapidly up the garden, and found the Beldings at the
door, starting for evening service with their prayer-books in their
hands.

"Do you wish to see the prettiest thing you ever saw in your lives? of
course I except your mirrors when in action," he began, without
salutation. "If so, come this moment to my conservatory. My
night-blooming cereus has her coming-out party tonight."

They both exclaimed with delight, and were walking with him toward the
garden. Suddenly, Mrs. Belding stopped and said:

"Alice, run and get your sketch-book and pencil. It will be lovely to
draw the flower."

"Why, mamma! we shall not have time for a sketch."

"There, there! do as I tell you, and do not waste time in disputing."

The young girl hesitated a moment, and then, with instinctive
obedience, went off to fetch the drawing materials, while her mother
said to Farnham:

"Madame de Veaudrey says Alice is very clever with her pencil; but she
is so modest I shall have to be severe with her to make her do
anything. She takes after me. I was very clever in my lessons, but
never would admit it."

Alice came down the steps. Farnham, seeing her encumbered by her books,
took them from her, and they went down the walks to the conservatory.
They found Ferguson sitting, with the same rapt observation, before his
tropical darling. As the ladies entered, he rose to give them seats,
and then retired to the most distant corner of the room, where he spent
the rest of the evening entirely unaware of any one's presence, and
given up to the delight of his eyes. The bud was so far open