The first thing that she saw was a name on the fly-leaf, "Jane Beach," and beneath it this inscription, which evidently had been written by some one in a great hurry: "To dearest Leonard from Jane.

23 Jan." "Turn over," he said hastily; "the document is on the other side." She was not slow to note both the writing and the confusion which her perusal of it caused him.

Who was Jane Beach, she wondered, and why did she call Mr.Outram "dearest Leonard"?
In a moment, so strange are the hearts of women, Juanna felt herself much prepossessed against her, whoever she might be.

But she turned the leaf and read the agreement.
It was a pretty sight to see her bending over the cramped writing in the circle of the lantern light, but when at length she had finished and looked up, there was a smile upon her lovely face which had more of scorn in it than was pleasant.
"Come hither, Soa," she said, "and tell me what all this nonsense means about rubies and the People of the Mist." "Shepherdess," answered Soa, squatting down on the ground before her, "it is not nonsense.

The language which I taught you when you were little is that of this people.