his flight, with his trill of gladness, and the robins flooded the
leafless trees and the lawn with gushes of purest melody. Julia could
not remain in the house; she could not remain anywhere; and as the
morning deepened, she took a sudden resolution and ordered Prince to
be saddled at once.

"Mother," said she, "I have the whole of this long, long day. I must
gallop off through the woods, around to Wilder's. I haven't been there
since last fall; and then I will come around by Mrs. Ridgeley's and
tell her, and so home. Don't gay a word, mother; I must go. I cannot
stay here. I'll be back in good time."

So mounting Prince she bounded off. When she felt herself going with
the springy, elastic leap of her splendid steed, she thought she
had found what she most wanted--to go to that little blessed nook of
shelter and repose under the rocks by the running stream, in the
sun. Something seemed to call her, and the day, the rapid motion, the
exhilaration of the atmosphere, as she dashed through it, softened her
excitement, and a calm, elevated, half-religious extasy possessed her;
and the sky and air, and brown, desolate earth, just warming with the
April sun, all glowed with hope. How near to her seemed Heaven and
all holy, sweet influences; and the centre of it all was one radiant,
beautiful face, looking with sad, wistful eyes to her for love and
life which she so wanted to give. She felt and knew that to this
one in some way, she would be fully revealed, and misconception and
absence and doubt would vanish. She should meet him, but just how he
would look, or what he would say, or how she should or could answer
him, she could not shadow out, and would not try. All that, she was
sure, would take care of itself, and he would know and understand her
finally.

Prince seemed fully to appreciate the day, and to be inspired with
its subtle and exhilarating elixir; but after a mile or two of
over-spirit, he sobered down into his long, easy, springy, untiring
gallop. They passed the fields and went along the hard and dry
highway, till she reached the diverging trail that struck off through
the woods toward the settlement on the other side, the nearest house
of which was Wilder's.

On she went among the trees, past recently deserted sugar camps, away
from human habitations, into and through the heart of the forest,
joyous and glad in her beauty and young life and hope, and happy
thoughts; and finally she came to the creek; here