.

"You will surely take cold, Alice," said the gentleman, drawing Miss
Merton's hand within his arm, and turning to ascend the steps. Then,
first, I awoke from mingled surprise and admiration sufficiently to say
quietly,--

"I must go home. Good evening."

"Not at all," exclaimed the gentleman, turning round; "it is nearly
twelve o'clock, and I verily believe you think of walking back to Warren
to-night. You must take the horse and sleigh, if you go. Shall he not,
Alice?"

Miss Merton, thus appealed to, replied by saying to me,--

"Come in with us, Mr. Allen, and get warmed at least. I have heard Miss
Darry speak of you as the one of her class in whom she is especially
interested; so you see we are not strangers, after all."

There was no condescension in the gentle voice and smile for even my
sensitiveness to detect. I had never been addressed as Mr. Allen before;
and this of itself would have confused me sometimes, but now I forgot
myself in admiration of her.

That face was of perfect contour. Small and delicately fair, soft bands
of light-brown hair shaded the low, smooth brow and large gray eyes,
and the full red lips were tremulous with varying expression. Her hands
and figure were of the same delicate outline as her face. And as her
cape blew aside, I noticed the violet silk she wore, of that blended
blue and purple so becoming to blondes.

It were surely a narrow view, to ascribe this grace of expression and
manner, so peculiarly womanly, this evident desire to please even,
betrayed in careful attention to the artistic finish and details of
dress, to vanity or coquetry merely,--it is so often the outgrowth of a
beauty-loving nature, to be found in some of the most sensitive and
refined of the other sex.

Looking at Miss Merton, therefore, I seemed to have a vision of what
Annie Bray might become, if she were developed from within and
surrounded from without by that halo of refinement which crowned the
lady before me. Already I was developing an Epicurean taste for that
spirit of beauty which flooded Annie Bray's humble life as well as her
own.

Miss Darry spoke to me, as we went up the steps; but to what I assented
I do not know. I listened to the low tones in front of me. I have always
possessed a preternaturally quick ear; but I confess I might have used
it to better purpose on that occasion.

"Now, Hamilton, of course he must stay all night," she whispered, as she
leaned on the gentleman's arm