w, the sides of the little ravine being clothed
from the top to the bottom with wild-flowers and plants of every
description. The traveller's joy had even gained a footing on the
bridge itself. To add to the beauty, a tiny rivulet, which seemed to
take its rise from some invisible source, flowed through the flowery
ravine like a silver thread.

"What a charming spot!" observed Malcolm in a tone of such sincere
admiration that Miss Templeton looked quite gratified.

"It was my sister's idea," she said softly; "she originates most of our
improvements. Now, as you see, we have come to the end of our garden
and are going down that little woodland path. We are both passionately
fond of flowers, and like to see them from the house, but in our hearts
I believe we love our wild garden best."

"And you are right--one could never be tired of this," and Malcolm
glanced at the slender sterns of the firs and the soft green light
between the tree-boles. Just here the ground was bare except for the
carpet of brown needles, but the next moment the path became more
tangled and sloped rather steeply. They could distinctly hear a dog
bark. "Take him to the peep-hole," whispered Cedric in his sister's
ear, and Miss Templeton nodded and stepped off the path; then she
beckoned Malcolm to look through some interlacing branches which formed
a natural arch.

It was a charming little sylvan scene that met his eyes. The spot had
been fitly called Ophelia's Pool. The small pond was shut in with
rowans and thickets of alder and blackberry bushes, and on the pond
itself some water-lilies and other aquatic plants were growing. Two or
three rough boulders, cushioned with moss, made comfortable seats, and
were at the present moment occupied by two people--one of them
evidently the second Miss Templeton, and the other a young man in a
rough serge suit, whom at first sight Malcolm certainly did not take
for a clergyman; and round them, in various attitudes of waiting and
expectancy, dogs of all sorts and conditions--from a handsome brown
retriever to Cedric's little fox-terrier, Dick.

"My word, there's Carlyon," observed Cedric in rather an aggrieved
tone; "why, the fellow lives here;" and then he put his hands to his
mouth and gave a view-hallo so lustily that all the dogs began barking
like mad. Only Dick--who was a knowing fellow and up to tricks--rushed
up the path and began dancing excitedly round his master.

"What barbarians boys are!" obs