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was thinking much of her coming troubles. Why had he
given way to her foolish prayers? Ah, why indeed? And thus the last
few days of their sojourn in San Jose passed away from them. Once or
twice during these days she did speak out, expressing her fears. Her
feelings were too much for her, and she could not restrain herself.
"Poor mamma," she said, "I shall never see her!" And then again,
"Harry, I know I shall never reach home alive."
"Fanny, my darling, that is nonsense." But in order that his spoken
word might not sound stern to her, he took her in his arms and kissed
her.
"You must behave well, Fanny," he said to her the day before they
started. Though her heart was then very low within her, she promised
him that she would do her best, and then she made a great resolution.
Though she should be dying on the road, she would not complain
beyond the absolute necessity of her nature. She fully recognised his
thoughtful tender kindness, for though he thus cautioned her, he never
told her that the dangers which she feared were the result of her own
choice. He never threw in her teeth those prayers which she had made,
in yielding to which he knew that he had been weak.
Then came the morning of their departure. The party of travellers
consisted of four besides the baby. There was Mr. Arkwright, his wife,
and an English nurse, who was going to England with them, and her
brother, Abel Ring, who was to accompany them as far as the Serapiqui
River. When they had reached that, the real labour of the journey would
be over.
They had eight mules; four for the four travellers, one for the baby, a

spare mule laden simply with blankets, so that Mrs. Arkwright might
change in order that she should not be fatigued by the fatigue of her
beast, and two for their luggage. The portion of their baggage had
already been sent off by Punt' Arenas, and would meet them at the
other side of the Isthmus of Panama.
For the last four days the rain had ceased,--had ceased at any rate at San
Jose. Those who knew the country well, would know that it might still
be raining over those vast forests; but now as the matter was settled,
they would hope for the best. On that morning on which they started
the sun shone fairly, and they accepted this as an omen of good. Baby
seemed to lay comfortably on her pile of blankets on the mule's back,
and the face of the tall Indian guide who took his place at that mule's
head pleased the anxious mother.
"Not leave him ever," he said in Spanish, laying his hand on the cord
which was fastened to the beast's head; and not for one moment did he
leave his charge, though the labour of sticking close to him was very
great.
They had four attendants or guides, all of whom made the journey on
foot. That they were all men of mixed race was probable; but three of
them would have been called Spaniards, Spaniards, that is, of Costa
Rica, and the other would be called an Indian. One of the Spaniards
was the leader, or chief man of the party, but the others seemed to stand
on an equal footing with each other; and indeed the place of greatest
care had been given to the Indian.
For the first four or five miles their route lay along the high road which
leads from San Jose to Punt' Arenas, and so far a group of
acquaintances followed them, all mounted on mules. Here, where the
ways forked, their road leading through the great forests to the Atlantic,
they separated, and many tears were shed on each side. What might be
the future life of the Arkwrights had not been absolutely fixed, but
there was a strong hope on their part that they might never be forced to
return to Costa Rica. Those from whom they now parted had not
seemed to be dear to them in any especial degree while they all lived
together in the same small town, seeing each other day by day; but
now,--now that they might never meet again, a certain love sprang up
for the old familiar faces, and women kissed each other who hitherto
had hardly cared to enter each other's houses.

And then the party of the Arkwrights again started, and its steady work
began. In the whole of the first day the way beneath their feet was
tolerably good, and the weather continued fine. It was one long gradual
ascent from the plain where the roads parted, but there was no real
labour in travelling. Mrs.