"Oh, Theodora, you must not feel hurt. Poor Robert! He was nearly broken-hearted. He never expected to see you. He had spent a fortune on detectives, who looked all over Europe for you. One night I sat with him, and I really thought he was insane. He acted like it." "But he gave my piano and music away." "I suppose he could not bear to see them--and you had left them, you know." "Isabel, he gave me that piano as a birthday gift, one week before we were married; but then, of course, he took it back after the ceremony. He told me once my wedding ring was his property, and that he could sell the very hair off my head if he chose to do so." "He must have been in a vile temper to say such things. Legally, I suppose he was right, but no good man ever does such things." "But if a woman has the ill-fortune to marry a bad man? and many women innocently do this, then----" "Then what?" "If she has any self-respect, she emancipates herself from such a condition of slavery." "Are you still angry at Robert?" "I never was angry at him. He was only the rock on which my love bark struck, and went down." "How is David?" "Come home with me, and see him. We shall be home for supper, and it is about time we were leaving." "Both Sir Thomas and I will come with you gladly." For nearly ten miles their road lay through a delightful country, and just at the darkening ended in a plateau among some foothills. A number of white houses were scattered over it, and towards one of these Theodora drove her carriage. They entered an inclosure studded with forest trees, and kept in fine order; and as they neared the dwelling, came into a lovely garden full of all kinds of flowers and fruits. The house was square and large, surrounded by deep piazzas, and covered to the chimney-tops with flowering vines, chiefly with jasmine and passion flowers. On either side of the wide hall there were cool, large parlors, and from its centre rose the white stairway leading to the upper rooms--and everywhere there was an indefinable sense of peace and comfort. "What a beautiful home! What a heavenly place!" cried Isabel, and Theodora answered: "My father bought it when we first came. We have lived here ever since. It is beautiful. The sun shines on it, the winds blow through it, in every room there is happiness and peace. You were asking about David," she said in a tone of exultation, "here he comes!" and they went to the window and watched his approach. He was riding a fine, spirited horse, and riding like Jehu the son of Nimshi, who doubtless rode--as well as drove--furiously. "How wonderfully he rides, Dora." "David can do anything with a horse, or a rifle, and he is so strong, and tall, you would think him much older than he is. Come, we will go down and have supper, and let unpleasant memories die."