hly sight--forever. She wondered dully now
why she had left them, why she had so easily yielded to the influences
which had caused the separation. They might have fled to the jungle
and lived there in safety and seclusion. The malign influences which
beset them all in Simiti never could have reached them in the
trackless forest. And yet, she knew that had not Rosendo and Jose held
out to her, almost to the last moment, assurances of a speedy reunion,
she would not have yielded to the pressure which they had exerted, and
to the allurements of life in the wonderful country to which they had
sent her. Her embarrassment on the boat was due largely to a sense of
awkwardness in the presence of women who, to her provincial sight,
seemed visions of beauty. To be sure, the priest had often shown her
pictures of the women of the outside world, and she had some idea of
their dress. But that such a vast difference existed between the
illustrations and the actualities, she had never for a moment
imagined. Their gowns, their jewels, their coiffures held her in
open-mouthed marvel, until Mrs. Reed, herself annoyed and embarrassed,
remanded her to her cabin and bade her learn the impropriety of such
manners.

Nor had the conduct of this lady throughout the voyage conduced to
Carmen's happiness. Mrs. Reed showed plainly that the girl was an
awkward embarrassment to her; that she was tolerated because of
reasons which pertained solely to her husband's business; and she took
pains to impress upon her fellow-travelers that, in view of the
perplexing servant problem, this unmannered creature was being taken
to the States to be trained as a maid, though, heaven knew! the
training would be arduous, and the result uncertain.

Reed, though measurably kind, gave Carmen scant attention. Harris
alone saved the girl from almost complete neglect. He walked the deck
with her, regardless of the smiles of the other passengers. He taught
her to play shuffle-board, checkers, and simple card games. He
conducted her over the boat and explained the intricate machinery and
the numberless wonders of the great craft. He sat with her out on the
deck at night and told her marvelous stories of his experiences in
frontier camps. And at the table he insisted that she occupy the seat
next to him, despite the protestations of the chief steward, who would
have placed her apart with the servants.

Carmen said little, but she clung to the man with an appeal which,
t