ted. "I have been longing for some time to see the
interior of your beautiful cabin," she said.

They slowly walked to the cage and mounted to the cabin, a distance of
but fifty feet. They found Will at work upon a local landscape. He was
delighted to receive the ladies, especially Feodora. "This augurs well
for our sailing soon, Miss Feodora. And I cannot tell you how glad we
all are to see you recovering so rapidly."

"I told Feodora that you had made a fine painting of Jennie Barton. We
have told her all about our visit in Labrador, and she wishes to see
your painting of Jennie," said Mattie.

"I am only too proud to show it her," answered Will, and he removed a
cloth from the painting that rested upon an easel.

"What a sweet, lovely face!" exclaimed Feodora. "I have never seen
anything sweeter in my life."

Will hastened to assure her, though he flushed with pride, that it
lacked very much of doing the fair Jennie justice.

"There is something so good and pure in that face, that it rests one to
look at it," said the fair Russian.

"Would you accept it from me as a present?" asked Will.

"O Mr. Marsh! would you really part with it?"

"I shall feel greatly honored if you will accept it from me. I intend
painting another immediately. Whether I shall ever reach my ideal, I do
not know."

"I fear that you never will until you return to Constance House," said
Mattie slyly.

"Now Mattie, that is very unkind of you," cried Will with a well-assumed
severity.

Feodora thanked Will sincerely for his present, and declared that it
should be hung in her room where she might see it the first thing in the
morning and the last thing at night. "Surely nothing could be sweeter
and more interesting than the romance connected with this lovely
painting," said she.

Professor Gray, meantime, had not been idle all these weeks. He and
Denison had developed an affinity for each other, and spent many hours
together, the former teaching the latter much of the geology, botany,
etc., of the country round about. And with rod and gun they kept the
Count's table well supplied with game. They also did much riding, and
for many miles they became familiar objects to the inhabitants. The
Professor made copious notes of all he saw of interest, intending it as
subject matter for a future scientific work.

And Fred busied himself with his music. He had discovered among the
visitors at the castle a young Russian who spoke English tolerab