neral as kept her young mistress laughing so that she scarcely saw
where she walked nor how far.

But, at length, she looked up, surprised that she had taken a new
direction from that she commonly followed. Here the trees were larger,
and the undergrowth closer. Ferns which reached to her shoulder hid
the ground from her sight and she stumbled over fallen limbs and
unseen vines, but constantly urged onward by the discovery of some
rare flower or shrub, which she might take home to Dorothy.

These two flower-lovers had daily studied the simple botany which Aunt
Betty had brought on the trip, and the science opened to bookish Elsa
a wonder-world of delight.

"Ah! there's a creeping fern! I mean a walking one. We read how rare
they are and Dorothy will just be wild to come and see it for herself.
Let me see. It was yesterday we studied about ferns. Be still, Joan.
No, Jocko, I'll go no further, on account of your poor, lame foot.
You may jump to my shoulder if you like. I think it was this way.
Listen, dears! 'Order, Filices, Genera, Asplenium. Asplenium
Rhizophyllum--Walking Fern!' There I said it, but the little common
name suits me best. Heigho, beasties! What you jabbering about now?
and what are you peering at with your bright eyes? Come on. There's
nothing to be afraid of in the woods, though I was once so scared of
them myself. Come on, do. I must get--My heart! What--_what_--_is
this_?"

CHAPTER XIV.

THE REDEMPTION OF A PROMISE.

Maybe the Colonel was more pleased to meet his Water Lily friends
again than they were to see him. But Aunt Betty hid her disappointment
under her usual courteous demeanor and was glad that the angry mood in
which he had left them had not remained. Upon her, she knew would fall
the task of entertaining him; and after breakfast was over and Billy
been led to the deepest pasture available, she invited him to sit with
her on the little deck that ran around the cabin, or saloon, and
opened conversation with the remark:

"We've been very happy here in the Copse. Except, of course, we were
worried about our sick guest, Gerald, till Dr. Jabb informed us he was
out of danger. He seems a fine man, the doctor, and I'm thankful to
have a physician so near. Why--what--are you ill, Colonel?"

At the mention of the practitioner her visitor had risen, his eyes
ablaze with anger, his gaunt frame trembling with excitement.

"Madam! MADAM! Do you mention that hated name to me? Don't you