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by a shoal of sharks, and had dived under them. He had been embraced by an immense gorilla, and had run his clasp-knife into its spine. He had been carried by a condor to its nest high in the Andes, and had killed the bird and its mate with his revolver, and brought two young condorets down the precipices to the city of Opodeldockamptulikonkorydalis, which is said to be the highest city in the world.

What had he not done? Silvia was delighted with her deliverer. The man who could conquer Roan Tom might well have done all the things he narrated. She believed him absolutely.

"Do come in with me," she said, when they reached a lodge gate. "My father would like to thank you."

66

Ah, but I don't want to be thanked. Besides, my uncle would wonder what has happened if I am not with him at breakfast. If you want to reward me very much, give me half your mushrooms."

"What a reward!" said she. Take what I have more than we can possibly

you will.

use.

He took some, and dropped them into his side pocket. Then he said:

"So you don't think that sufficient reward for my slight service?"

"No indeed. What other can I give you?"

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She blushed; looked archly at him; ran away.

CHAPTER XIII.

SILVIA SOLILOQUIZETH AND DREAMETH.

IT

"Rubies unparagoned."

T is, I assume, improper for even a novelist to visit in her chamber a young lady whom he has created. This at least appears the verdict of critics in this modest and decorous time, when we have become so singularly virtuous that cakes and ale are quite out of fashion., So I really do not know what to do with Miss Silvia, who, on the day of matutine adventure mentioned in the last chapter, had no opportunity of thinking over her position till she was in the solitude of her chamber.

It chanced to be a busy day. The Squire

had organized an expedition. Somebody had opened a tumulus on an outlying part of his estate, and some coins and fibulæ and urns had been found; and his archæologic instinct was excited. So he determined to drive over in his mail-phaeton and pair; and as Mrs. Silchester was disinclined to go, and Silvester had previously arranged a day's fishing with Musical Willie and his nephew, the Squire was compelled to content himself with his daughter's company. She was a pleasant companion, even to her father-which is not true of all daughters. She chatted pleasantly as they drove away inland to a high bit of moor where the discovery had been made. She tried to wholly forget the adventure and misadventure of the morning, though she felt in her conscience the right thing to do was to tell her father all about it. Ah, but how difficult it is to begin a confession, even to the kindest father confessor, and when you have not to confess any sin of your own!

So the Squire and Silvia had their drive together without mention on her part of the morning's occurrence, though excellent opportunity was afforded when her father praised her for gathering mushrooms for his breakfast. As Matthew Arnold says,

"We mortal millions live alone;"

and your daughter, sitting by your side in a mail-phaeton, with nothing between you and her but a little broadcloth and sealskin and silk and linen, may be mentally a myriad leagues away from you-farther than from Aldebaran to Sirius. Indeed it is possible that this may happen with your wife, where the material fence or partition is much slighter. This is a world in which hypocrisy and falsehood are singularly well protected. Asmodeus unroofed for the student Cleofas the houses of Madrid—and the result was remarkable. What would it be if some friendly fiend could make transparent the skulls of all one's

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