g up at him out of a cloud of white. It
was a charming visit for him, and he reproached himself for his hard
thoughts about Mrs. Yorke. He aired all of his knowledge, and made such
a favorable impression on the good lady that she became very friendly
with him. He did not know that Mrs. Yorke's kindness to him was
condescension, and her cordiality inspired as much by curiosity
as courtesy.

"Dr. Balsam has been telling us about you, Mr. Keith," said Mrs. Yorke,
with a bow which brought a pleased smile to the young man's face.

"He has? The Doctor has always been good to me. I am afraid he has a
higher opinion of me than I deserve," he said, with a boy's pretended
modesty, whilst his eyes strongly belied his words.

Mrs. Yorke assured him that such could not be the case.

"Don't you want to know what he said?" asked Miss Alice, with a
bell-like laugh.

"Yes; what?" he smiled.

"He said if you undertook to carry a bag of salt down a mountain, or up
it either, you would never rest until you got there."

Her eyes twinkled, and Gordon appeared half teased, though he was
inwardly pleased.

Mrs. Yorke looked shocked.

"Oh, Alice, Dr. Balsam did not say that, for I heard him!" she exclaimed
reprovingly. "Dr. Balsam was very complimentary to you, Mr. Keith," she
explained seriously. "He said your people were among the best families
about here." She meant to be gracious; but Gordon's face flushed in
spite of himself. The condescension was too apparent.

"Your father was a pre--a--a--clergyman?" said Mrs. Yorke, who had
started to say "preacher," but substituted the other word as more
complimentary.

"My father a clergyman! No'm. He is good enough to be one; but he was a
planter and a--a--soldier," said Gordon.

Mrs. Yorke looked at her daughter in some mystification. Could this be
the wrong man?

"Why, he said he was a clergyman?" she insisted.

Gordon gazed at the girl in bewilderment.

"Yes; he said he was a minister," she replied to his unspoken inquiry.

Gordon broke into a laugh.

"Oh, he was a special envoy to England after he was wounded."

The announcement had a distinct effect upon Mrs. Yorke, who instantly
became much more cordial to Gordon. She took a closer look at him than
she had given herself the trouble to take before, and discovered, under
the sunburn and worn clothes, something more than she had formerly
observed. The young man's expression had changed. A reference to his
father always sob