med to come, I am sure, but I am afraid the distance will
stand in her way. One doesn't 'step out' to Colorado every summer, but
perhaps we may be there some day, and then we shall certainly hope to
see you."

This encounter with Mrs. Ashe, who was, in a way, part of the family
with whom Imogen expected to be most intimately associated in America,
made the remainder of the voyage very pleasant. They sat together for
hours every day, talking, and reading, and gradually Imogen waked up to
the fact that American life and society was a much more complex and less
easily understood affair than she had imagined.

The weather was favorable when the first rough days were past, and after
they rounded the curve of the wide sea hemisphere and began to near the
American coast it became beautiful, with high-arching skies and very
bright sunsets. Accustomed to the low-hung grays and struggling sunbeams
of southern England, Imogen could not get used to these novelties. Her
surprise over the dazzle of the day and the clear, vivid blue of the
heavens was a continual amusement and joy to Mrs. Ashe, who took a
patriotic pride in her own climate, and, as it were, made herself
responsible for it.

Then came the eventful morning, when, rousing to the first glow of dawn,
they found the screw motionless, and the steamer lying off a green
island, with a big barrack-building on it, over which waved the American
flag. The health officer made his visit, and before long they were
steaming up the wide bay of New York, between green, flowery shores,
under the colossal Liberty, whose outstretched arm seemed to point to
the dim rich mass of roofs and towers and spires of the city which lay
beyond. Then they neared the landing-stage, where a black mass of people
stood waiting them, and Amy gave a cry of delight as she saw a
gold-banded cap among them, and recognized her Uncle Ned.

The little Anglo-Belgian had been more or less ill all the way over, and
looked pale and wan, though still very pretty, as she stood with the
rest, gazing at the crowd of faces, all of whose eyes were turned toward
the steamer. Imogen, who had helped her to dress, remained protectingly
by her side.

"What shall you do if he doesn't happen to be there?" she asked, smitten
with a sudden fear. "Something might detain him, you know."

"I--I--am not sure," turning pale. "Oh, yes, I am," rallying. "He have
aunt in Howbokken. I go there and wait. But he not fail; he will be
he