father fear that her heart
would literally break down under the heavy burden of her misery. When
she had sat here nearly an hour, he approached her and gently taking her
hand, which felt as cold as marble, said--

"Will you not come home, darling? Your mamma is anxious you should
return to her. Come," and he attempted gently to draw her with him.

"I can wait, I can wait," she replied, "if he should come and find me
gone, he would break his heart--I can wait."

"Oh do not droop, my sweet sister; do not droop so much; all will yet be
well," said Agnes, weeping.

"I care for none but him--to me there is only one being in life--all
else is a blank; but he will not come, and is it not too much, to try
the patience of a heart so fond and faithful."

"It is not likely he will come to-day," replied Agnes; "something has
prevented him; but to-morrow--"

"I will seek him elsewhere," said Jane, rising suddenly; "but is it not
singular, and indeed to what strange passes things may come? A young
lady seeking her lover!--not over-modest certainly--nay, positively
indelicate--fie upon me! Why should I thus expose myself? It is unworthy
of my father's daughter, and Jane Sinclair will not do it."

She then walked a few paces homewards, but again stopped and earnestly
looked in every direction, as if expecting to see the object of her
love. Long indeed did she linger about a spot so dear to her; and often
did she sit down again and rise to go--sometimes wringing her hands in
the muteness of sorrow, and sometimes exhibiting a sense of her neglect
in terms of pettish and indirect censure against Osborne for his delay.
It was in one of those capricious moments that she bent her steps
homewards; and as she had again to pass that part of the river where the
accident occurred to the dove, Agnes and her father observed that
she instinctively put her hand to her shoulder, and appeared as if
disappointed. On this occasion, however, she made no observation
whatever, but, much to their satisfaction, mechanically proceeded
towards Springvale House, which she reached without uttering another
word.

Until a short time before the arrival of Dr. M'Cormick, this silence
remained unbroken. She sat nearly in the same attitude, evidently
pondering on something that excited great pain, as was observable by her
frequent startings, and a disposition to look wildly about her, as if
with an intention of suddenly speaking. These, however, passed quickly