o lie perdu in the event of any visitors calling
to whom I might be unwilling to reveal myself. On the present occasion,
the possibility of any one in the drawing-room seeing me was wholly
precluded, by reason of the curtain already mentioned being partially
drawn.

I had not remained long in thought when my reverie was disturbed by some
one entering the outer room and closing the door. The peculiar rustle of
a lady's dress informed me that the intruder was of the gentler sex;
and the sound of the footstep, so light as to be scarcely audible, could
proceed from no other inmate of the cottage but Fanny.

Even with the best intentions, one always feels a degree of shame in
playing the eaves-dropper; a natural sense of honour seems to forbid us,
unnoticed ourselves, to remark the actions of others; yet so anxious
was I, if possible, to gain some clue to the state of my sister's
affections, that I could not resist the temptation of slightly changing
my position, so that, concealed by a fold of the curtain, and peeping
between two of the tallest camellias, I could command a view of the
drawing-room. My ears had not deceived me; on the sofa, up to which
she had drawn a small writing-table, was seated Fanny; her elbow was
supported by the table before her, and her head rested ~371~~ on one of
her little white hands, which was hidden amid the luxuriant tresses of
her sunny hair. Her countenance, which was paler than usual, bore traces
of tears. After remaining in this attitude for a few moments, motionless
as a statue, she raised her head, and throwing back her curls from her
face, opened the writing-case and wrote a hurried note; but her powers
of composition appearing to fail her before she reached the conclusion,
she paused, and, with a deep sigh, drew from a fold in her dress a
letter, which I instantly recognised as the remarkable document produced
by the joint talents of Lawless and Coleman. As she perused this
original manuscript, a smile, called forth by the singular nature of its
contents, played for an instant over her expressive features, but was
instantly succeeded by an expression of annoyance and regret.

At this moment a man's footstep sounded in the passage, and Fanny had
scarcely time to conceal her letter ere the door was thrown open, and
Harry Oaklands entered.

The change of light was so great on first coming into the room out of
the open air, that, not until the servant had withdrawn, after saying,
"You