The gentle slope to the dark-green canada was a broad cataract of crimson poppies.

Everywhere where water had stood, great patches of color had taken its place.

It seemed as if the rains had ceased only that the broken heavens might drop flowers.
Never before had its beauty--a beauty that seemed built upon a cruel, youthful, obliterating forgetfulness of the past--struck Clarence as keenly as when he had made up his mind that he must leave the place forever.

For the tale of his mischance and ill-fortune, as told by Hopkins, was unfortunately true.

When he discovered that in his desire to save Peyton's house by the purchase of the Sisters' title he himself had been the victim of a gigantic fraud, he accepted the loss of the greater part of his fortune with resignation, and was even satisfied by the thought that he had at least effected the possession of the property for Mrs.Peyton.But when he found that those of his tenants who had bought under him had acquired only a dubious possession of their lands and no title, he had unhesitatingly reimbursed them for their improvements with the last of his capital.