their beautiful abode was a new delight to
Geraldine. Proud of her position as
mistress of such a mansion, busy as fifty bees,
she devoted herself entirely to her household
cares, and with these and her father, whom
she adored, would have been fully content.
But the colonel liked society; society liked
him—would have him; and, in effect, a
period of five or six months saw him and his
daughter established as chief favourites in
the district of which " Mon Désir " was the
centre; while the fame of Miss Fonnereau's
beauty knew no limits short of those of the
Golden Isle itself.

Among the Golden Islanders no institution
enjoys a greater popularity than the
"pic-nic." It was on their return from
one of these that the father and daughter
sat talking over the incidents of the day,
and exchanging confidences as to their
mutual impressions. These were, as usual,
tolerably harmonious; Geraldine being,
however, especially frank in her praises of
a certain old Admiral Brunton, who had, it
must be owned, availed himself of his
seventy summers to flirt, in the most open
and unscrupulous manner, with his beautiful
young neighbour.

"By the way," remarked the colonel,
"there was another of the cloth—tall, curly-
headed fellow—Hal—Hul Huddleman."

"'Hal-di-mand,' " said his daughter,
distinctly.

"If he had broken his neck in getting at
those orchids," observed the colonel, calmly,
"it would have been a kind of treason.
The lives and energies of the royal navy are
not intended for the supply of a girl's 'hortus
siccus.' You should have stopped him,
pussy."

"I tried, indeed, papa; but—but he
would—- "

She checked herself, as if conscious of
the slight colour that had mounted to her
cheeks.

"Hey?" said the colonel, looking at her.

But Geraldine laughed lightly, and her
father forgot the blush. Moreover, the
next moment he found himself on the
defensive.

"By the way, dear," said Geraldine,
slyly, laying her golden head on her father's
arm and looking up in his face, " there was
also a lady present—tall, slender, long
dark ringlets, greenish eyes—Min—Mar—
what was her name? Papa, don't pretend;
you must know; you talked together for
two hours."

"For two hours, say twenty minutes,
and that by snatches," said the colonel.

"She was pretty—she was certainly pretty.
I am not sure whether I like her or not.
Do I?" (with an expression as if really
seeking information). " At all events, she
puzzled me. I returned to her again and
again, as to a riddle one must guess or be
haunted with. Whence did she come?
Who invited her? In short, who the
deuce is she?"

"Don't say deuce,, papa," said Geraldine,
holding up a warning finger. " Now,
what will you give me to tell you?"

"A pledge that she shall become my
pussy's friend."

Geraldine lifted her head.

"Hush, papa. Don't say that, even in
joke." Her pale face showed that she at
least was in earnest.

"Geraldine, my darling! What is the
matter?" asked her father, anxiously.

"Nothing—nothing, dear. I—I cannot
explain what I said, or meant to say.
Only, I would rather not have this lady
for a friend."

"But who and what is she, my child?"
persisted the colonel, his curiosity excited.
"Who told you about her?"

"Nobody—that is, Admiral Brunton,"
replied the young lady.

"Complimentary," observed her sire.

"I mean, papa, I heard him talking of
her; and you know he does not speak in
whispers. He might have been on his own
quarter-deck, hailing somebody, ' Ahoy!
maintop there! It's Mrs. Magniac—Mrs.
Melusina Magniac. She hails from Mon
Port in the Dell; and a very pretty haven
it is for a sweet little buccaneer, armed
and fitted for a cruise, to lie in wait in.
Let the single craft look about them.'
That's what he said, or roared; and you
might have heard him too, dear; but you
were in action with the suspected vessel
itself."

"Humph!" said the colonel, thoughtfully.
"Magniac. I don't remember the
name. Well, well, enough of the lady.
But she is a stranger, my love; and we
must always be on our guard—-"

"Yes—yes, papa!"

"Against unfounded prejudices, I was
about to say," observed her father, gravely.

Geraldine got up, and placed herself
before him.

"Papa, dear, answer. Are we not happy
together?"

"As love-birds, pussy," laughed her
father, touching her dimpled cheek. " So
we intend to be, until the time—a long
way off, I hope—when some thief will