hrough, and
Mr. Rhys led Eleanor up a walk in the garden-like plantation, to a
house which stood encompassed by it. "Not at home yet!" he remarked to
her as they stood at the door; with a slight smile which again brought
the blood to her cheeks. He opened the door and they went in.

"The good news is true, sister Balliol!" he said to somebody that met
them. "I have brought you one of our friends, and there are more to
come, that I must go and look after. Is brother Balliol at home?"

"No, he is not; he has gone over the river."

"Then I will leave this lady in your care, and I will go and see if I
can find canoes. I meant to have pressed him into my service. This is
Miss Powle, sister Balliol."

The lady so called had come forward to meet them, and now took Eleanor
by the hand and kissed her cordially. Mr. Rhys took her hand then, when
she was released, and explained.

"I am going back to the schooner after our friends--if I can find a
canoe."

And without more words, off he went. Eleanor and Mrs. Balliol were left
to look at each other.

This latter was a lady of middle height, and kindly if not fine
features. A pair of good black eyes too. But what struck Eleanor most
about her was her air; the general style of her figure and dress, which
to Miss Powle's eyes was peculiar. She wore her hair in a crop; and
that seemed to Eleanor a characteristic of the whole make up. Her dress
was not otherwise than neat, and yet that epithet would never have
occurred to one in describing it; all graces of style or attire were so
ignored. Her gown sat without any; so did her collar; both were rather
uncivilized, without partaking of the picturesqueness of savage
costume. The face was by no means disagreeable; lacking neither in
sense, nor in spirit nor in kindliness; but Eleanor perceived at once
that the mind must have a serious want somewhere, in refinement or
discernment: the exterior was so ruthlessly abandoned to ungainliness.

Mrs. Balliol took her to an inner room, where the cloak and the bonnet
were left; and returned then to her occupations in the other apartment,
while Eleanor set herself down at the window to make observations. The
room was large and high, cheerful and airy, with windows at two sides.
The one where she sat commanded a view of little beside the garden,
with its luxuriant growth of fruit trees and shrubs and flowers. A
tropical looking garden; for the broad leaves of the banana waved there
around its