SOME HUMBLE ORCHIDS 155 



water, and its name suits its haunt," I added 

 wickedly, "Rattlesnake Plantain, from the mot- 

 tlings on the leaves, their habit of growth, and 

 the reputed cure afforded by the plant for the bite 

 of the reptile." 



"Are rattlesnakes ever found here?" said Flower 

 Hat, looking anxiously at the numerous holes be- 

 neath the rocks, which really had a suggestive ap- 

 pearance. "It is exactly the sort of place where 

 that young school-teacher, who was out flower- 

 hunting, backed into a den of the reptiles, and 

 Elsie Venner stared them out of countenance and 

 rescued him. No? " 



"It is certainly cool here," she continued, "and 

 the river sound makes it seem even chilly. But I 

 am not quite reconciled to calling such a pale mite 

 of a flower an Orchid. I cannot rid myself of the 

 feeling that the word implies something magnificent 

 in itself, or rich in its massed coloring like the 

 Calopogon and Orange Fringed Orchis in the Sea 

 Gardens. The Lily- leaved Twayblade made a pic- 

 ture, but there is surely no such quality to this 

 homely flower." 



As she spoke, her eyes, now focused to the 

 shade, again rested on the mat of plants. The 

 light was concentrated upon them, and in the 



