m to tramp down there through mud and mire. The
fact is, I did not go to sleep till four o'clock, and nobody ought to be
unchristian enough to expect me to wake up in an hour. You may be quiet,
though, for I am on my way now to that paradise of black mud. I only
stopped to get a glimpse of you, my Sappho! my Corinna! so don't homilize,
I pray you."

"Better wait till daylight, Hugh; you know the state of the roads and
condition of the bridges. It will be safer, and an economy of time, to
defer it till morning, since you have made it so late."

"No; I must go to-night, for I have an engagement to ride with Maria
Henderson, and I can't get back in time if I wait till to-morrow morning. I
want to start back day after to-morrow. As for time, Wildfire will make it
the better for the darkness, he is as much afraid of night and shadows as
if he had a conscience, and had maltreated it, master-like. I shall
convince him that all Tam O'Shanter's witches are in full pursuit, and his
matchless heels his only salvation."

A shade of apprehension settled on her face, and, placing the bouquet in a
basket, she turned to her cousin, saying--

"Indeed, you cannot be insane enough to drive that horse such a night as
this weather threatens. If go you will, in the face of a coming rain, leave
Wildfire here, and drive one of the carriage-horses instead. I shall be
uneasy if you start with that vicious, unmanageable incarnation of
lightning. Let me ring the bell and direct Andrew to make the change."

She stepped into the parlour adjoining, and laid her fingers on the
bell-cord, but he snatched up the hand and kissed it several times.

"No! I'll be hanged if I don't drive my own pearl of Arabia! I can manage
him well enough; and, beside, what do you care whether he breaks my neck or
not? Without compunction you broke my heart, which is much the greater
catastrophe."

"Come into the library; you don't know what you are saying."

She drew him into the room, where a warm fire burned cheerfully, and made
him sit down.

"Where did you go last night when you left here? Tell me."

"To Harry Neal's; a party of us were invited there to drink egg-nog, and,
of course, found something stronger afterward. Then we had a game or so of
poker, and ----, the grand finale is that I have had a deuced headache all
day. Ah, my sweet saint! how shocked you are, to be sure! Now, don't
lecture, or I shall be off like a flash."

Without answering, she rang