“She’s a mighty fine lady,” said Dinah, the cook.

“Mighty fine lady,” repeated Tom; “an’ I tell yer she’s married to Massa, an’ she’s gwine to be de Missis.”

Venus, the chambermaid, who would have passed very well for a bronze image of the sea-born goddess, tossed her head as she replied:  “Dunno bout dat ar.  Massa does a heap o’ courtin’ to we far sex.”

“How yer know dat ar?” exclaimed Dinah.  “Whar d’ yer git dem year-rings?” And then there was a general titter.

Rosabella, all unconscious in her purity, came up to Tom while the grin was still upon his face, and in her polite way asked him to have the goodness to bring the carriage.  It was with great difficulty that she could refrain from outbursts of song as she rode homeward; but Gerald had particularly requested her not to sing in the carriage, lest her voice should attract the attention of some one who chanced to be visiting the island.

Her first words when she entered the cottage were:  “O Tulee, I am so happy!  Gerald has fitted up Magnolia Lawn beautifully, because I told him I wished we could live there.  He said, that day we were there, that he would try to make some arrangement with Papasito’s creditors, and I do believe he has, and that I shall not have to hide much longer.  He has been fitting up the house as if it were for a queen.  Isn’t he kind?”

Tulee, who listened rather distrustfully to praises bestowed on the master, replied that nobody could do anything too good for Missy Rosy.

“Ah, Tulee, you have always done your best to spoil me,” said she, laying her hand affectionately on the shoulder of her petted servant, while a smile like sunshine mantled her face.  “But do get me something to eat.  The ride has made me hungry.”

“Ise glad to hear that, Missy Rosy.  I begun to think ’t want no use to cook nice tidbits for ye, if ye jist turned ’em over wi’ yer fork, and ate one or two mouthfuls, without knowing what ye was eatin’.”

“I’ve been pining for Gerald, Tulee; and I’ve been afraid sometimes that he didn’t love me as he used to do.  But now that he has made such preparations for us to live at Magnolia Lawn, I am as happy as a queen.”

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:—­