rly about Giselle, and
then called her names that cannot be repeated. If he thought she could
be made to love him by any means, he would carry her off from the
island. Off into the woods. But it was no good. . . . He strode away,
flourishing his arms above his head. Then I noticed an old negro, who
had been sitting behind a pile of cases, fishing from the wharf. He
wound up his lines and slunk away at once. But he must have heard
something, and must have talked, too, because some of the old
Garibaldino's railway friends, I suppose, warned him against Ramirez. At
any rate, the father has been warned. But Ramirez has disappeared from
the town."

"I feel I have a duty towards these girls," said Mrs. Gould, uneasily.
"Is Nostromo in Sulaco now?"

"He is, since last Sunday."

"He ought to be spoken to--at once."

"Who will dare speak to him? Even the love-mad Ramirez runs away from
the mere shadow of Captain Fidanza."

"I can. I will," Mrs. Gould declared. "A word will be enough for a man
like Nostromo."

The doctor smiled sourly.

"He must end this situation which lends itself to----I can't believe it
of that child," pursued Mrs. Gould.

"He's very attractive," muttered the doctor, gloomily.

"He'll see it, I am sure. He must put an end to all this by marrying
Linda at once," pronounced the first lady of Sulaco with immense
decision.

Through the garden gate emerged Basilio, grown fat and sleek, with an
elderly hairless face, wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and his
jet-black, coarse hair plastered down smoothly. Stooping carefully
behind an ornamental clump of bushes, he put down with precaution a
small child he had been carrying on his shoulder--his own and Leonarda's
last born. The pouting, spoiled Camerista and the head mozo of the Casa
Gould had been married for some years now.

He remained squatting on his heels for a time, gazing fondly at his
offspring, which returned his stare with imperturbable gravity; then,
solemn and respectable, walked down the path.

"What is it, Basilio?" asked Mrs. Gould.

"A telephone came through from the office of the mine. The master
remains to sleep at the mountain to-night."

Dr. Monygham had got up and stood looking away. A profound silence
reigned for a time under the shade of the biggest trees in the lovely
gardens of the Casa Gould.

"Very well, Basilio," said Mrs. Gould. She watched him walk away along
the path, step aside behind the flowering bush, and r