Neptune, and this cave a shelter the
mermaids sought to comb their tresses and sing the songs of the sea. Of
old every cascade and grotto was believed to be inhabited by nymphs and
gnomes, every grove by wood sprites and brownies. If they saw a brook
rippling over the pebbles in the sunlight, they said it was elfins
dancing; and in autumn when the fallen leaves blew over the hilltops, it
was the brownies holding carnival."

"I do not believe such creatures ever did exist," she replied, "but I
shall enjoy coming here all the better for having heard about them."

Then as if she already looked to him as a source of all information, she
added, "Tell me about the women in your city who ride in carriages and
wear beautiful dresses."

A shade of annoyance crossed his face. "I would rather tell you about
the fairies, little girl," he answered bitterly; "the women in my world
are mostly charming liars. They live to outshine each other in dress,
they utter pretty speeches that are false, they go to church to show off
their raiment and come back to sneer at what others wear, they consider
a man as eligible for a husband solely because he has money, and if he
tells them the truth, call him a fool. I do not admire them much, Mona,
and the less you know of them the better woman you will grow to be, and
the better wife you will make some man."

Mona flushed slightly and raising her eyes and looking full at him,
responded, "Do all the men in your world despise women as you do, and is
there not among them one who is good and tender and truthful?"

Winn remained silent a moment, for the delicate reproach of her words
was unexpected.

"There may be some," he answered evasively at last, "but I have never
met them and a man is apt to judge all women by those he has known."

"And if there is now and then one among them who is not false-hearted,"
continued Mona, "is she not respected and loved for it?"

"She might be by some," he answered doubtfully, "but most would call her
stupid."

"Would the men call her stupid?" persisted Mona.

"Some of them would," he answered, smiling at her earnestness, "but most
of them would take advantage of it. World-wise men grow to be selfish."
Then, as if the subject was distasteful, or her inquiries too pointed,
he added, "Do you know what love is, Mona, and have you never had a
lover among the young fishermen here?"

"T have read about it," she answered with perfect sincerity, and smiling
at he