uncle's embrace before her nurse was half through beseeching
her to hide.

"Why, my dear child, have you turned gipsy? You are as ragged as one,
and are as brown as a berry. But I can see through your long, thick
curls that the last year has improved you most wonderfully. Let me
introduce you to your cousin, Ferdinand of Bernstorf."

Isoleth looked up and beheld--gracious me! He was every day as old as
her guardian, and positively had gray hairs. She was sure she saw
white hairs among his black curls. She could give him only one glance,
for his dark, handsome eyes were fastened searchingly upon her. Her
eyes fell beneath his admiring gaze, and fell upon her torn muslin
dress--the rocks and briars had paid no respect to it--rather _had_
paid their best respects to it; and, without vouchsafing a word in
reply to her uncle or handsome cousin, she sprung, light as a fawn,
into her saddle, and was out of sight in the twinkling of an eye.

"What say you, Cousin of Bernstorf, to such a bride as that for the
proposed alliance--a wild one, is it not?"

"I like her exceedingly. By the holy mass! but she is the most
beautiful creature I ever saw. We will take her to court, she will
bewitch us all, old and young. By my faith, but she is--"

"Yes, yes, she _is_," replied the baron, smiling at Ferdinand's
earnestness. I thought she would surprise you. I cannot conceive of
any thing one-half so beautiful as she."

"Beautiful! you surprise me! Bless my soul! she is radiant with
beauty, and she is the greatest surprise I ever had in my life. We
will electrify the whole court with surprise and delight at her
wondrous grace and beauty, and--"

"All in good time, noble cousin. You recollect her father's will--that
she should remain at Fernheath, neither going from here, nor receiving
much company, save her own kinsfolk, until after her marriage with
your noble--"

"Yes, yes, I have not forgotten the will. 'So was it nominated in the
bond.' It delights me most exceedingly that she is so marvelously
beautiful. St. Jerome! but I feel already that I love her as dearly as
though she were my own--"

"Good gracious, cousin! You always had a spice of enthusiasm that is
delightful and refreshing to me." And the baron laughed right heartily
because he was delighted--and the laugh seemed to refresh him. "After
all," continued he, as soon as the corners of his mouth had come
within speaking distance of each other, "after all, she is but an