reas I had always been undisputed leader in
all things, even when it was the accomplishing of her wishes, now I found
myself looking up to her as something above me, possibly beyond me,
something certainly to strive after with all that was in me, and without
which everything else would be nothing.

Perhaps I had been inclined to take things somewhat for granted. Jeanne
Falla did not fail, in due course, to tell me so, and she was a very shrewd
woman and understood her kind better than any man that ever was born. Now,
taking things for granted is always, and under any circumstances, but most
especially where the unknown is in question, a most unwise thing to do. And
what can equal for unfathomableness the workings of a woman's heart?

I had never given a thought to any other girl than Carette, unless by way
of unfavourable comparison. It is true I had never come across any girl so
well worth thinking about. The merry dark eyes with their deepening depths;
the sweet wide mouth that flashed so readily into laughter, and set one
thinking of the glad little waves and little white shells on Herm beach;
the mane of dark brown hair--she wore it primly braided at the Miss
Maugers'--in which gleams of sunshine seemed to have become entangled and
never been able to find their way out,--these went with me through the soft
seductions of the Antilles, and the more experienced beguilements of the
Mediterranean, and armed me sufficiently against them all;--these also that
filled with rosy light many a long hour that for my comrades was dark and
tedious, and kept my heart high and strong when the times were hard and
bitter.

I had wondered at times, but always pleasurably, at the very unusual amount
of education Carette was getting, for it was unusual at that time and under
the circumstances, so far as I understood them. But I rejoiced at it,
remembering my grandfather's saying in my own case; and even when the
results of it seemed to drop little veils between us, I am certain I never
wished things otherwise so far as Carette was concerned, though perhaps for
my own sake I might.

Jean Le Marchant of Brecqhou had prospered in his business, I knew. His six
stalwart sons had been too busy contributing to that prosperity to acquire
any great book-learning. They were all excellent sailors, bold
free-traders, and somewhat overbearing to their fellows. It was only slowly
that the idea came to me that the blood that was in them might be of a