chat with Miss Carmichael, invited her uncle and the veteran to
go for a row in the skiff. At first, these gentlemen were disposed to
decline, but, when they learned that there was something to be seen,
they changed their minds, and accompanied her and Miss Carmichael to the
shore.

The colonel was entranced with the little lake, the clearing, and the
chalet, as were Miss Carmichael and Mr. Terry. It was decided that a
guard, in the form of a caretaker, should be put over the place as soon
as possible, and it was suggested that Timotheus and Tryphena would make
an ideal pair of guardians. While much of the land round about might be
cleared to advantage, it was agreed that the wood around Tillycot lake
should be left intact, save the breadth of a road to the main highway.
Then they fell to discussing Rawdon, a man plainly of extensive reading,
of scientific attainments, of taste in architecture and
house-furnishing, and yet an utterly unprincipled and unscrupulous
villain. "One would think," said Miss Carmichael, "that the natural
beauties of a place like this would be a check upon evil passions and
the baser part of one's nature." But the colonel answered, "In the
wahah, Miss Cahmichael, I have seen soldiehs, even owah own soldiehs,
wilfully and maliciously destyoying the most chahming spots of scenehy,
without the least pohfit to themselves or matehial injuhy to the enemy.
The love of destyuction is natuhal to ouah fallen human natuhe." Mr.
Terry corroborated this statement, and added, "Faix, it sames to me
there's jist two sarts an koinds av payple in the wurruld, thim as
builds up an' thim as batthers down. For moy paart, I'd lafer build a
log shanty an' clane a bit land nor pull a palish to paces." Miss Du
Plessis assented, but drew attention to the fact that Rawdon had
cleared, built up, and beautified the place, and improved his mind on
the one hand, while he was warring against society and law, robbing and
even murdering, on the other. "Mr. Errol said once," rejoined Miss
Carmichael, "that there are two opposite natures, an old man and a new,
in all human beings, as well as in those who are converted, and that no
contradiction of the kind is too absurd for human nature." "Mistah Ehhol
is quite right, my deah Miss Mahjohie, as all expehience attests. Bret
Hahte has shewn it from a Califohnian standpoint. I have seen it in
times of wanah and of peace, bad men, the bent of whose lives was
destyuction, risking evehyt