172 THE HALL OF SHELLS. 



From anotlier pocket she brought out a 

 handful of tiny points. "What are these?" 

 she asked. "Are they ivory tusks of fairy 

 elephants, or horns of baby unicorns ? " And 

 the rippling sound they made as they passed 

 through her fingers pleased her ears as perhaps 

 the "jingle" of these Dentalian "guineas" 

 please the ear of the Indian money getter. The 

 value of Dentalia, or " toothshells," she learned, 

 was determined by the length of the shells. 



Later that evening, when Undine and Tom 

 had sailed away to the universe of dreams. Dr. 

 McLean with Miss Bremely paused before the 

 open door of the library. Mr. Bremely sat 

 within, a book was open before him, but he 

 could not read. His heart was stirred with a 

 mighty past. An angel had come down that 

 evening and troubled its waters. 



The flush upon Miss Bremely's cheeks was 

 again like the pink tint of shells, and dimples 

 played among her blushes, while Dr. McLean 

 looked as happy as a king ; yet enigmatical as 

 it seemed, they assured Mr. Bremely they came 

 because they were in sore trouble. The doc- 

 tor had learned, like Undine, that he could not 

 spare Miss Bremely ; and she that she could 

 not spare Dr. Lean ; and both, like the chil- 

 dren, that they " could not spare anybody." 



