wife. Milo's mother was his first wife, and she died ever so
long ago. Milo is twenty years older than I am. Milo came
down here on a cruise, when he got out of college. And he
fell in love with this part of the country. He persuaded Dad
to buy him a farm here, and he has spent fifteen years in
building it up to what it is now. He and my mother didn't
didn't get on awfully well together. So Milo spent about all
his time down here, and I hardly ever saw him. Then Dad and
Mother died, within a day of each other, during the flu
epidemic. And Milo came on, for the funeral, of course, and
to wind up the estate. Then he wanted me to come down here
and live with him. He said he was lonely. And I was still
lonelier.

"I came here. And I've been here ever since. It is a part of
the world that throws a charm around every one who stays long
enough under its spell. And I grew to loving it as much as
Milo did. We had a beautiful life here, he and I and the
cordial, lovable people who became our friends. It was last
spring that Rodney Hade came to see us. Milo had known him,
slightly, down here, years ago. He came back here--nobody
knows from where, and rented a house, the other side of
Coconut Grove, and brought his yacht down to Miami Harbor.
Almost right away, he seemed to gain the queerest influence
over Milo. It was almost like hypnotism. And yet, I don't
altogether wonder. He has an odd sort of fascination about
him. Even when he is discussing his snakes."

"His snakes?"