She went off singing, and as Tulee looked after her she murmured to
herself: "And what a handsome queen she'd make! Gold ain't none
too good for her to walk on. But is it the truth he told her about
settling with the creditors? There's never no telling anything by
what _he_ says. Do hear her singing now! It sounds as lively as Missy
Flory. Ah! that was a strange business. I wonder whether the little
darling _is_ dead."

While she was preparing supper, with such cogitations passing through
her mind, Rosa began to dash off a letter, as follows:--

"DEARLY BELOVED,--I am so happy that I cannot wait a minute without
telling you about it. I have done a naughty thing, but, as it is the
first time I ever disobeyed you, I hope you will forgive me. You told
me never to go to the plantation without you. But I waited and waited,
and you didn't come; and we were so happy there, that lovely day, that
I longed to go again. I knew it would be very lonesome without you;
but I thought it would be some comfort to see again the places where
we walked together, and sang together, and called each other all
manner of foolish fond names. Do you remember how many variations you
rung upon my name,--Rosabella, Rosalinda, Rosamunda, Rosa Regina? How
you did pelt me with roses! Do you remember how happy we were in the
garden bower? How we sang together the old-fashioned canzonet, 'Love
in thine eyes forever plays'? And how the mocking-bird imitated your
guitar, while you were singing the Don Giovanni serenade?

"I was thinking this all over, as I rode alone over the same ground
we traversed on that happy day. But it was so different without the
love-light of your eyes and the pressure of your dear hand, that I
felt the tears gathering, and had all manner of sad thoughts. I feared