ld love, or the ominous commencement of a new?
One whole day he had been with her--a week, perhaps, was before him, of
constant association. How difficult for a young fellow to continue deaf
and blind to soft tones and softer glances, that spoke in reality of
herself, though professedly they were all about her father!

Next day Monimia was still further recovered, and her venerated governor
not yet fit to be moved. It was so bright and sunny that it would have
been a shame to stay in doors, and Frank accompanied the lively Monimia
into the garden. Oh! the running to and fro, the reaching up of the
white arm, and standing on tiptoe to get at the fruit-trees on the
wall--the merry laugh, the conscious looks, the blushing cheek--if Frank
isn't made of stone, he'll yield to a certainty. She trips over all the
beds with a wicker-basket on her arm to gather flowers, and clips them
off so gracefully, and arranges them so tastefully, and all to be
presented to the gallant deliverer of her papa. She is already on her
way back, having achieved a nosegay of surpassing sweetness, when Mr
Percy Marvale hurries out of the library window with a letter in his
hand.

"We've found her at last! I told you, if she was in England, I would
ferret her out in no time."

Frank seized the letter, tore open the seal--a flush passed over his
cheek--he devoured the words--read the over again--and did not even look
up, when Monimia dropt her basket and picked it up again, with the grace
of Taglioni.

"Glorious--glorious!" he said, and nearly kissed the scarcely legible
scrawl. "I will go this moment--it can't be far."

"Are you going, Mr Edwards?" said Monimia, holding the nosegay in her
hand. "I hope you will soon return."

"Perhaps I may--but, pray, make my excuses to your father--my friend, Mr
Marvale, will do the honours of the house."

"And you go away so suddenly?" she said, and pouted.

"I can't help it--business--sudden intelligence. Can you tell me where
the village of Wibbelton is?"

"No," said the young lady, and laid the nosegay very quietly in her
basket.

"If I should not return before Mr Smith is well enough to go home, will
you present my compliments to your sister, and assure her"--

"Oh! she will he very sorry, I dare say," said Miss Monimia tartly,
tying the strings of her bonnet, which had again fallen back and shown
her beautiful ringlets.

"I wish the flowers were better," continued Frank; "and at some future
ti