er he was or not.

Carrington stopped short, and for an instant stared blankly at her.
What every one noticed and admired all over the country wherever he
went, this little silent creature had not even seen!

"He will never forgive you," said Keith laughing, as the two tall forms
strode off into the marsh. Then, seeing that she did not comprehend in
the least, he made a seat for her by spreading his light coat on the
Appalachian chain, and leaning back on his elbow, began talking to her
about the marsh. "Breathe in the strong salt," he said, "and let your
eyes rest on the green, reedy waste. Supposing you were painting a
picture, now--does any one paint pictures at your convent?"

"Ah, yes," said the little nun, rousing to animation at once. "Sister
St. James paints pictures the most beautiful on earth. She painted for
us Santa Inez with her lamb, and Santa Rufina of Sevilla, with her
palms and earthen vases."

"And has she not taught you to paint also?"

"Me! Oh, no. I am only a Sister, young and of no gifts. Sister St.
James is a great saint, and of age she has seventy years."

"Not requisites for painting, either of them, that I am aware," said
Keith. "However, if you were painting this marsh, do you not see how
the mast of that boat makes the feature of the landscape the one human
element; and yet, even that abandoned, merged as it were in the
desolate wildness of the scene?"

The Sister looked over the green earnestly, as if trying to see all
that he suggested, Keith talked on. He knew that he talked well, and he
did not confuse her with more than one subject, but dwelt upon the
marsh: stories of men who had been lost in them, of women who had
floated down in boats and never returned; descriptions clear as
etchings; studies of the monotone of hues before them--one subject
pictured over and over again, as, wishing to instruct a child, he would
have drawn with a chalk one letter of the alphabet a hundred times,
until the wandering eyes had learned at last to recognize and know it.
"Do you see nothing at all, feel nothing at all?" he said. "Tell me
exactly."

Thus urged, the Sister replied that she thought she did feel the salt
breeze a little.

"Then take off that shroud and enjoy it," said Keith, extending his arm
suddenly, and sweeping off the long veil by the corner that was nearest
to him.

"Oh!" said the little Sister; "oh!" and distressfully she covered her
head with her hands, as if trying to shie