service I had rendered.

"But for your prompt assistance, I must have lost my life, or at the
very least been seriously injured. My poor thanks will never convey to
you the deep gratitude I feel."

She gave me her hand with a charming frankness, and I touched the white
slender fingers with as much reverence as if she had been a saint.

At this moment, we were joined by a handsome elderly lady, who ran into
the shop, exclaiming in hurried tones:

"Where is she?--where is my child? Is she safe?"

"Yes, dear aunt, thanks to this gentleman's timely aid, who risked his
own life to save mine."

"How shall we thank you--how shall we thank you, Sir?" exclaimed the
elderly lady, seizing my hand, and all but embracing me in an ecstacy
of gratitude. "You have rendered me a great service--a great service
indeed. Without that dear girl, life would be a blank to me. My Kate,
my Kate!" she cried, clasping the young lady in her arms, and bursting
into tears, "you don't know how dreadfully I felt when I saw you under
the hoofs of those horses. My child! my child I--I can hardly yet
believe that you are safe."

The charming Kate tenderly kissed her weeping relative, and assured her
that she could realize it all--that she must not fret, for she was
quite herself again--not even hurt; only frightened a little.

And then she turned her lovely face to me, on which a tear rested, like
a dew-drop upon the heart of a rose, with such a sweet, arch smile, as
she said, "My aunt is very nervous, and is so fond of me that her fears
for my safety have quite upset her. The sooner we get her home the
better. Will you be so kind, Sir, as to tell me if a carriage is at the
door. Ours is blue, with white horses."

The carriage was there. How I wished it at Jericho. The old lady again
repeated her thanks in the warmest manner, and I assisted her and her
charming niece into the equipage. The young lady waved her hand and
smiled, the powdered footman closed the door, and they drove off,
leaving me spell-bound, rooted to the door-sill of the shop.

"Who are those ladies?" asked the apothecary, looking complacently down
upon the sovereign the elder lady had slipped into his hand.

"I was just going to ask that question of you," said I.

"How! not know them--and let them go away without inquiring their
names! Arn't you a simple young fellow? If it had been me now, I should
have done my best to improve such a golden opportunity. Gratitude you
know