in a few minutes, went a little farther and
presently returned with a bunch of grapes.

"Eat these," she said, "they will refresh you."

It was a simple act of kindness; but a simple act of kindness, gracefully
performed, is often an index of character, and I felt sure that the girl
had a kind heart and deserved all the praise bestowed on her by the abbe.

I was thanking her, perhaps more warmly than the occasion required, when
she stopped the flow of my eloquence by reminding me that I had not yet
told them why the Indian queen caused me to be fastened on the back of the
_nandu_.

On this hint I spoke, and though the abbe suggested that I was too tired
for much talking, I not only answered the question but briefly narrated
the main facts of my story, reserving a fuller account for a future
occasion.

Both listened with rapt attention; but of the two Angela was the more
eager listener. She several times interrupted me with requests for
information as to matters which even among European children are of common
knowledge, for, though the abbe was a man of high learning and she an apt
pupil, her experience of life was limited to Quipai; and he had been so
long out of the world that he had almost forgotten it. As for news, he was
worse off than Fray Ignacio. He had heard of the First Consul but nothing
of the Emperor Napoleon, and when I told him of the restoration of the
Bourbons he shed tears of joy.

"Thank God!" he exclaimed, fervently, "France is once more ruled by a son
of St. Louis. The tricolor is replaced by the _fleur-de-lis_. You are our
second good angel, Monsieur Fortescue; you bring us glad tidings of great
joy--You smile, but I am persuaded that Providence has led you hither in
so strange a way for some good purpose, and as I venture to hope, in
answer to my prayers; for albeit our lives here are so calm and happy, and
I have been the means of bringing a great work to a successful issue, it
is not in the nature of things that men should be free from care, and my
mind has lately been troubled with forebodings--"

"And you never told me, father!" said Angela, reproachfully. "What are
they, these forebodings?"

"Why should you be worried with an old man's difficulties? One has
reference to my people, the other--but never mind the other. It may be
that already a way has been opened.--If you feel sufficiently rested,
Monsieur Nigel, I think we had better proceed. A short walk will bring us
to San Cristoba