ontreal; he is with a gay party, and you shall have a royal time. A pretty
piece of business truly, that you can't amuse yourself in any other way
than by breaking half the bones in your body."

Thus the summer programme was determined without any reference to the
wishes of the one most concerned, and, knowing her father's disposition,
she silently acquiesced. After much persuasion, Mr. Huntingdon prevailed on
Louisa's parents to allow her to accompany them. The mother consented very
reluctantly, and on the appointed day the party set off for Saratoga. The
change was eminently beneficial, and before they reached Canada Irene
seemed perfectly restored. But her father was not satisfied. Her unwonted
taciturnity annoyed and puzzled him; he knew that beneath the calm surface
some strong undercurrent rolled swiftly, and he racked his brain to
discover what had rendered her so reserved. Louisa's joyous, elastic
spirits probably heightened the effect of her companion's gravity, and the
contrast daily presented could not fail to arrest Mr. Huntingdon's
attention. On arriving at Montreal the girls were left for a few moments in
the parlour of the hotel, while Mr. Huntingdon went to register their
names. Irene and Louisa stood by the window looking out into the street,
when a happy, ringing voice exclaimed--

"Here you are, at last, Irie! I caught a glimpse of your curls as you
passed the dining-room door."

She turned to meet her cousin and held out her hand.

"Does your majesty suppose I shall be satisfied with the tip of your
fingers? Pshaw, Irie! I will have my kiss."

He threw his arm round her shoulder, drew down the shielding hands, and
kissed her twice.

"Oh, Hugh, behave yourself! Miss Louisa Young, my cousin, Hugh Seymour."

He bowed, and shook hands with the stranger, then seized his cousin's
fingers and fixed his fine eyes affectionately upon her.

"It seems an age since I saw you, Irie. Come, sit down and let me look at
you; how stately you have grown, to be sure! More like a queen than ever;
absolutely two inches taller since you entered boarding-school. Irie, I am
so glad to see you again!" He snatched up a handful of curls and drew them
across his lips, careless of what Louisa might think.

"Thank you, Hugh. I am quite as glad to see you."

"Oh, humbug! I know better. You would rather see Paragon any day, ten to
one. I will kill that dog yet, and shoot Erebus, too; see if I don't! then
maybe you can thin