"None, I fear," came from the lips of Caroline in a faint whisper.

"Is he so strongly prejudiced against me?"

"Yes."

"Then, what are we to do?"

Caroline sighed.

"To meet, hopelessly, is only to make us the more wretched," said
Lawson. "Better part, and forever, than suffer a martyrdom of
affection like this."

Still closer shrunk the weak and foolish girl to the young man's
side. She was like a bird in the magic circle of the charmer.

"Caroline," said Lawson, after another period of silence, and his
voice was low, tender and penetrating--"Are you willing, for my
sake, to brave your father's anger?"

"For your sake, Charles!" replied Caroline, with sudden enthusiasm.
"Yes--yes. His anger would be light to the loss of your affection."

"Bless your true heart!" exclaimed Lawson. "I knew that I had not
trusted it in vain. And now, my dear girl, let me speak freely of
the nature of my present visit. With you, I believe, that all hope
of your father's consent is vain. But, he is a man of tender
feelings, and loves you as the apple of his eye."

Thus urged the tempter, and Caroline listened eagerly.

"If," he continued, "we precipitate a union--if we put the marriage
rite between us and his strong opposition, that opposition will grow
weak as a withering leaf. He cannot turn from you. He loves you too
well."

Caroline did not answer; but, it needed no words to tell Lawson that
he was not urging his wishes in vain.

"I am here," at length he said, boldly, "for the purpose of taking
you to New York. Will you go with me?"

"For what end?" she whispered.

"To become my wife."

There was no starting, shrinking, nor trembling at this proposal.
Caroline was prepared for it; and, in the blindness of a mistaken
love, ready to do as the tempter wished. Poor lamb! She was to be
led to the slaughter, decked with ribbons and garlands, a victim by
her own consent.

Frederick Williams, the friend of Lawson, was a young attorney, who
had fallen into rather wild company, and strayed to some distance
along the paths of dissipation. But, he had a young and
lovely-minded sister, who possessed much influence over him. The
very sphere of her purity kept him from debasing himself to any
great extent, and ever drew him back from a total abandonment of
himself in the hour of temptation. He had been thrown a good deal
into the society of Lawson, who had many attractive points for young
men about him, and who knew how to a