Meanwhile, Marjorie trotted on ahead, and, her eyes, made observant by
former botanical expeditions on a small scale, found the purplish blue
five-flowered Gentian by the open roadside, the tall orange Asclepias
or Butterfly Weed, and the purple and yellow oak leaved Gerardias or
False Foxgloves in grassy stretches among the second growth. These she
bestowed on Jim, who begged to be allowed to present the most perfect
specimens to Miss Graves. The walkers were now on the top of the hill,
and strayed off into the overgrown clearing. A shout from Marjorie
declared that the berries had been reached, and within five minutes the
whole party was engaged in gathering, what Mr. Douglas hailed with
delight as "brammles." Marjorie accused the colonel of picking for his
own mouth, but this was a libel. He picked for Mrs. Du Plessis, whom he
established under the shade of a straggling striped maple of tender
growth. That lady received the tribute of brother Paul very gracefully,
and darkened her lips with the ripe berries, much to the colonel's
amusement and their mutual gratification. Miss Halbert stood over Basil,
and so punished him with a sunshade, whenever he abstracted fruit for
personal consumption, that the man became infatuated and persisted in
his career of wrong doing, till he was deprived of his basket, which he
only received back after an abject apology delivered on his knees, and a
solemn promise to have regard to the general weal.
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