southernmost point of South America and
sticks its sharp snout inquiringly into the
Antarctic solitudes, as if it scented something
questionable there. The speediest
route, though open to strange discomforts,
was by way of the Isthmus; and then there
were always the saddle, the wagon, and the
stage, with the accompaniments of road-
agents, tornadoes, deserts, and starvation.

Miss Grace Parsloe came via the Isthmus;
and the latter part of her journey had been
alleviated by the society of a young
gentleman from New York, Freeman by name.
There were other passengers on the vessel;
but these two discovered sympathies of
origin and education which made companionship
natural. They sat together at table,
leaned side by side over the taffrail,
discussed their fellow-travellers, and
investigated each other. As he lolled on the
bench with folded arms and straw hat tilted
back from his forehead she, glancing side-
long, as her manner was, saw a sunburnt
aquiline nose, a moustache of a lighter
brown than the visage which it decorated,
a lean, strong jaw, and a muscular neck.
His forehead, square and impending, was as
white as ivory in comparison with the face
below; his hair, in accordance with the