1897 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



379 



to her parents— 

 — to htT foster 



future: and to return her thu 

 or — or — excuse, me, doctor 

 parents."' 



" Yes," said the doctor. " It is hard for you to 

 realize that she should be any other than Miss 

 Buell; and whatever occurs. Fred, you must 

 not hint to her my relationship to her; for if 

 she does indeed recover, as I think she will, I 

 wish to make all these matters known to her 

 myself, and in my own way." 



" Your admonition shall be respected," replied 

 Fred. 



"And. Fred, there is another thing which 

 may seem strange to you; and upon this 

 point I will give you warning. When Alfaretta 

 returns to consciousness she will take up the 

 events of her life where she left them in San 

 Pablo Bay. Her life since that day will be a 

 blank, and she will have no memory of you or 

 any other person she has met 

 since." 



"Is it possible?" exclaimed 

 Fred; "then 1 shall have to get 

 acquainted with her as though 

 she were a stranger." 



"Yes. Fred; and if you have 

 inaulged in higher sentiments 

 toward her you will have to 

 renew them now to a sane per- 

 son; and. if I mistake not, to 

 win her will require talent. But, 

 come; Alamantapola is calling, 

 saying there is a change in the 

 patient." 



They both hastened to the 

 cabin, and there was indeed a 

 change. Alfaretta was sitting 

 up in the cot. There was an in- 

 telligence in her every look as 

 she surveyed the group around 

 her. 



"Where am I? oh! where am I? 



(so inconsistent is Imman nature) began to wish 

 she were insane again. 



Alfaretta began to regain streneth, and, after 

 many days' con linemen t to the cabin and to the 

 tender care of Alamantapola, she was permitted 

 to take short walks under the oaks. A ham- 

 mock had been slung in a convenient place, 

 and many hours she sat here, either reading or 

 In revery. Her appeals to those around her to 

 know about her people, and why they were not 

 with her, were put off under one pr> text and 

 another, but all bearing upon the point that 

 she was not strong enough. 



" Why, F'red," said the doctor, " the revela- 

 tion that we have to make to her will require 

 all of her strength; in her weakened condition 

 it might prostrate her again; but now in a few 

 days I think she can bear it, and you can break 

 the matter to her as you see fit." 



'the doctor proceeded to dress the wound.' 



and she 



grasped the clothing around her neck as if to 

 loosen it for better breathing. " Where am I, 

 and why am I left with these strange people'? 

 Where are my parents? Where are Mary, 

 Fanny, and William? Were my companions 

 drowned? Oh! that terrible moment! Oh! 

 where am I ? Take me to my home, to mother 

 and to father!" 



"There, there!" said the doctor, soothingly, 

 as he observed her excitement. " You are with 

 friends, and many strange things have happen- 

 ed to you since the boat was capsized. Your 

 parents and friends are well, and you shall see 

 them all in good time; but now you are weak, 

 and must rest." 



The doctor and Fred again left the cabin, the 

 doctor giving Alamantapola and the other 

 squaw instructions respecting the patient. 



"That seems strange," said Fred. "After 

 following me, and taking such an interest in 

 finding me, she does not know me." And Fred 



And so it came to pass that, one day while 

 Alfaretta was sitting under the oak-tree, Fred 

 sat down near her, and said: 



"Miss Buell, it seems that you have no re- 

 membrance of meeting me previously to seeing 

 me in this valley ? " 



" No. Mr. Anderson, I have no recollection of 

 meeting you." 



" Do you remember living upon the Sacra- 

 mento River?" said Fred: " and do you remem- 

 ber seeing a bee-ranch on the blufT, where I 

 produced a nice lot of honey ? and then do you 

 remember the fearful flood that washed my 

 bees, Mat Hogan, and myself down the river? 

 and do you remember helping to rescue me, 

 and" — 



" Why, Mr. Anderson," interrupted Alfaretta, 

 "what a fantastic story you are telling me! T 

 Med in Berkely with my parents; and, Mr. 

 Anderson, you must have some other person in 

 your mind; and," said she, with a little laugh, 

 " you are a romancer Indeed." 



