fect in temper, tact, and taste, and became invaluable to Mrs. Stuyvesant; but, through it all, she kept her own unruffled superiority. This was never annoying, though a woman whose refinement was less true than Mrs. Stuyvesant's might have chafed at it. She never talked about herself, rarely advanced her own opinions, unless perhaps upon some question of dress, where she had marvelous skill. She would have made the fortune of a modiste by her taste and originality. But, for herself, black silk and soft laces were her invariable dress costume, though it must be confessed her usual apparel was not without an air of elegance. But her reticence, her cool self-possession, and her stately air made her seem like a statue. Now and then some friend of Mrs. Stuyvesant's was seized with intense admiration, and that lady was not a little amused to see how small an effect it had upon her wonderful governess.

"But I would like to know what was inside of her," Mrs. Stuyvesant said in a perplexed manner to her husband. "Whether she really has any heart, for it seems to me sometimes that she isn't at all like ordinary women. And you can never make her betray a thought, you never surprise any wandering lights or shadows in her eyes."

"What of all that? You women can never be satisfied unless you know each other's histories from the hour you were born. I think she is well enough, and the children certainly improve."

With which Mr. Stuyvesant marched down tc Wall Street, and found the stock market much more interesting.

With May, the annual hegira commenced. The summer residence on Staten Island was put in order, and the family transported thither. "If you wish a month's holiday, presently-" Mrs. Stuyvesant began one morning.

"Oh!" the other said, interrupting her, "I have no friends to visit, and if it is just as agreeable to you that I should stay”

"I shall be delighted to have you watch over the children in the summer. That has always been my trouble, when Mr. Stuyvesant wants to take me away for a month or so. But I do not want to be ungenerous. You must omit some of the lessons during the warm weather."

"Do not have the slightest fear for me," Miss Van Arsdale said proudly.

And then Mrs. Stuyvesant's old wonder returned. Was this woman made of ice or marble? What could touch her, or rouse her, or give her any thing beyond a surface impression? She was so

strong, too-so confident of herself, and one might as well seek to penetrate ocean's depths as her unfathomable eyes.

This villa on Staten Island stood half a mile back from the shore, on an eminence, and commanded from the front a view of the city, the broad bay, and the green shores of its neighbor State. At the rear, the far-off ocean wearied you with a suggestion of its endlessness, its fading into the sky with a soft half light, as if some strange sympathy held it captive. Half a world seemed to lie at one's feet. Broad possibilities opened before you. Miss Van Arsdale paused to think something she had never felt inclined to do at Madison Square. And as she stood on the balcony thinking, her face and figure turned toward the sunset, yet in a kind of glowing shade formed by a vine-clustered corner, Colonel Max Trevor winding around the clumps. of trees, a whim to make the road appear longer, took her in by detachments, as it were. First, the poise of the head, with its crown of purple black hair; the full, sloping shoulders; the waist clearly defined -for her arms were a little raised; the affluence of the whole figure, hardly to be called slender, but not containing a line one would care to take out. As they came nearer, for he was driving with his cousin, Mrs. Stuyvesant, he could see the face distinctly, aided by the sunset glow which seemed to throw her out in clear rather than bold relief, like the light in a Murillo picture. The face was calm, the profile sharply cut against the vines of green gloom. A low, broad forehead, brows like a straight line above the eyes, a haughty nose, a chin rounded with the perfectness of art, a mouth that not only baffled but positively defied.

"I thought you had no visitors, Sue !"

Why, I have not, unless you begin to call yourself one," and she glanced at him oddly, then followed the direction of his eyes.

"Who is that woman up there?" he asked, briefly, "or is William generous enough to supply your place with such statues?"

"Isn't she splendid?"

Mrs. Stuyvesant was not given to mean or petty jealousies. "You Yankee! Attend to my question first," and he laughed. "Is she flesh and blood?"

"Truly. Answers to the name of Miss Van Arsdale, and is my governess."

"There ought to be some blue blood in her veins, from her name. Who is she?"

"I can tell you all I know about her in twenty words ;" and Mrs. Stuyvesant hardly exceeded the number.

"Rather odd," was his comment. "I don't see how such a handsome woman could resolve on governessing for a living. I should think she would be a stupendous amount of trouble to you."

"No, she isn't. She fairly frightened me into taking her at first, and I was thankful to know the bargain was only for a month. But she's perfection, only I am still afraid of her. I wish she was rich. Don't laugh at me, Max. I've thought sometimes I'd like to be a man, just to see if I could not make some impression upon her." "Don't women ever love each other?"

"To be sure they do. Only-I am not sure that she has any thing beyond a perfect exterior. Not an Undine by any means, but a sort of mystery. And yet she is very kind. When Georgie was sick, a month ago, she really took more care of her than the nurse. But she never kisses children. I don't know as you would call her cold, but for all that she never seems heart-warm; and she is just the kind of a person one would expect to blaze up with a word. She is never unkind, and never tender. I can't understand such a woman, Max-," with an odd, imploring expression.

"Well?"

"Suppose you solve this Sphynx for me.

at understanding people."

66

You used to be so good

'Dangerous business, Sue, especially where the Sphynx is handsome." "You are past all danger. A man, who hasn't been in love by the time he is thirty-five, never will be."

"My dear cousin, I've been in love dozens of times. In fact, I consider myself so susceptible that latterly I've taken great pains to keep out of danger. The part of a prudent man, you know."

"Well, I do not think Miss Van Arsdale will be tempted to fall in love with you. I do not believe that she will ever be in love. Some day she may marry for money. Her one passion is extravagance. And Max, you must marry an heiress."

แ And you think a little flirting will not hurt either one of us. Sue, I am afraid your morals are at a low ebb. Your governess, too, a young woman over whom you ought to exercise a motherly supervision," he said soberly.

Mrs. Stuyvesant laughed, for the idea was very amusing. They made the last turn now, and came fairly before the house. Max Trevor glanced up, but Miss Van Arsdale was no longer there.

"I did not mean either flirting or falling in love," Mrs. Stuyvesant said, seized with a spasm of compunction. "But I want you to tell me what you think of her,"

Half an hour later, Miss Van Arsdale knew that Mrs. Stuyvesant's cousin, Colonel Trevor, had come, and was likely to remain several weeks. It made no difference with her, of course.

Kate Stuyvesant, the eldest girl, past thirteen, but full of frolic, was wild with the announcement.

"He's such a grand, good fellow," she began, in her rapturous fashion, when Miss Van Arsdale corrected her.

"I can't help it, and you'll think so when you see him. He was here two or three summers ago, and we had such fun. He took us rowing every day. We all call him Uncle Max, though he isn't our own uncle, you know."

It was evident the smaller members of the family held the same opinion. There was a boisterous time in the hall, shrieks and laughter, and when Miss Van Arsdale swept down the stairs-for she had that free, flowing motion, indicative of force in itself-she found Master Frank astride of his uncle's shoulders, his chubby hands buried in the luxuriant beard, amber-hued around the mouth, but, deeper down, taking rippling chestnut tints. Mrs. Stuyvesant emerged from her room at the same instant.

"Miss Van Arsdale, please don't go crazy with all this noise !" as if it was not a farce to imagine an iceberg on the verge of such danger, Max thought. "And Max, do put that child down. He will tease you to death if you begin to indulge him in such a fearful fashion."

Down came Frank over his uncle's head, by some dextrous sleightof-hand landing upon his feet, apparently to his great surprise, for his wide-eyed astonishment deprived him of immediate speech.

Taking advantage of the momentary silence, Mrs. Stuyvesant proceeded with her introduction. Miss Van Arsdale bowed in her own stately manner, and did not proffer her hand. Indeed, she very rarely shook hands with any person. She had a way of holding herself aloof from familiarities. But when Colonel Trevor held his out with an air of command in the very gesture, she yielded unconsciously, and bit her lip for having been so easily mastered by another person's impulse. He saw the motion, and smiled under cover of his moustache.

“Georgie and Frank must go up stairs now and have their suppers, then you may all have a romp on the lawn with Uncle Max. Mr. Stuyvesant will not be home until late this evening, so we must do without him."

She marshaled the remainder of the party into the dining-room, where they were soon seated. Max dropped into an easy conversa

"She's

tion, and gave Miss Van Arsdale a chance to survey him. welcome to all she can gain, whether we prove friends or foes," he thought to himself.

The exterior man was moderately tall, straight and strong, chest and limbs finely developed, the whole figure compact, but rather full. Not a handsome face, certainly, but curious, suggestive, and not infrequently provoking. The features were well pronounced, the brow broad and open, clustered about with brown hair just inclining to curl. The eyes gave it tone. Gray, with steely gleams in them, a fire kept under control, but one that could blaze up and scatter devastation in its track. Ten years ago his eyes had been a terror to young girls. Since then he had learned not to put his soul too strongly into them, but the fine blue flame always shadowed them in some degree. Another peculiarity was his voice. Cool and steady, with a sort of latent magnetism that made you follow what he was saying, whether you cared to or not. A voice to lead or command, and one rarely disobeyed.

He appeared scarcely to notice Miss Van Arsdale beyond what politeness required. He found, or fancied he did, that the fair surface was not all. She sat on the lower balcony afterward with Mrs. Stuyvesant, while he had a frolic with the children. Now and then he caught a gleam of the slow moving oriental eyes. Whatever fire there was in their depths had never been roused. Where had she spent all her life?-for she was twenty, certainly, perhaps more.

When he joined them, she would have retired, but Mrs. Stuyvesant proposed music. "It used to be one of your old fancies, Max." "And is yet. If Miss Van Arsdale will be so kind. Do you not need a light?"

"No," she said, briefly.

A

The May night was warm and fragrant with new-leaved trees. subtle spice of cedar and hemlock was wafted from the lawn hedge, and the young moon silvered the crest of every wave in the bay. The surge of the water, with its melancholy monotone, beat against the shore in rhythmic murmurs.

Miss Van Arsdale was not to be won into sentiment. She began with the Gipsy Chorus in "Preciosa," then wandered to the mocking music of "Oberon." Her fingers were like sprites, changeful, illusive, but never thrilling, never stirring any deep chords, or making a minor response in the heart. Still less did she seem to be trying her skill, for the poise of her head betrayed more indifference than pride. No flush stole over her cheek, but the scarlet lips wore their mask of