akes her home--if it's in the evening. He gets along
with these people better than we do," returned Mrs. Bradley,
dryly. "But," she added, with a return of her piquant Quaker-like
coquettishness, "Jim says we are to devote ourselves to you to-night--in
retaliation, I suppose. We are to amuse you, and not let you get
excited; and you are to be sent to bed early."

It is to be feared that these latter wise precautions--invaluable for
all defenceless and enfeebled humanity--were not carried out: and it
was late when Mainwaring eventually retired, with brightened eyes and a
somewhat accelerated pulse. For the ladies, who had quite regained that
kindly equanimity which Minty had rudely interrupted, had also added
a delicate and confidential sympathy in their relations with
Mainwaring,--as of people who had suffered in common,--and he
experienced these tender attentions at their hands which any two women
are emboldened by each other's saving presence to show any single member
of our sex. Indeed, he hardly knew if his satisfaction was the more
complete when Mrs. Bradley, withdrawing for a few moments, left him
alone on the veranda with Louise and the vast, omnipotent night.

For a while they sat silent, in the midst of the profound and
measureless calm. Looking down upon the dim moonlit abyss at their feet,
they themselves seemed a part of this night that arched above it; the
half-risen moon appeared to linger long enough at their side to enwrap
and suffuse them with its glory; a few bright stars quietly ringed
themselves around them, and looked wonderingly into the level of their
own shining eyes. For some vague yearning to humanity seemed to draw
this dark and passionless void towards them. The vast protecting
maternity of Nature leant hushed and breathless over the solitude. Warm
currents of air rose occasionally from the valley, which one might have
believed were sighs from its full and overflowing breast, or a grateful
coolness swept their cheeks and hair when the tranquil heights around
them were moved to slowly respond. Odors from invisible bay and
laurel sometimes filled the air; the incense of some rare and remoter
cultivated meadow beyond their ken, or the strong germinating breath
of leagues of wild oats, that had yellowed the upland by day. In the
silence and shadow, their voices took upon themselves, almost without
their volition, a far-off confidential murmur, with intervals of meaning
silence--rather as if thei