have been obliged to
appear cold and variable to conceal my real feelings, and you have
despised me for it. I have seen it, Isabel. To-night I determined to
seek you, and plead my cause once more; and though you have received me
with indifference, even coldly, I still hope that beneath this reserve
there may be some warmer feeling. "Tell me dearest," he continued, "will
you not love me? Oh, Isabel, must I go alone?" She was silent. Then for
an instant her eyes met his, and the love and happiness in that one
glance fully satisfied him, and he clasped her passionately in his arms.
"You loved me all the time, Isabel," he whispered, "only from a mistaken
sense of your duty you refused me when I first spoke of my love."

"Oh, no, I did not love you then; I esteemed you very much, but I was
engaged to another." Then she told what is already known to the reader.

"And his name?" he asked.

"Louis Taschereau."

"Tell me: did the thought that I loved you tend to soften the blow, when
you found how unworthy he was?"

Isabel was very truthful; she could not deceive him, even though those
beautiful eyes were fixed upon her in earnest expectation. As we have
said, she was very truthful, so answered, "I cannot flatter you so much,
Everard; it afforded me no comfort whatever. Indeed I never thought of
it, except when some kind attention on your part reminded me of the
fact, and then the thought only caused me pain."

He looked disappointed. "No," she added, "it was not until long after,
that your worth and uniform kindness won my heart."

They lingered on the lawn until the chill night air warned them not to
remain there any longer. Entering the music-room by the window, they
found Emily waiting for them. "Oh, here you are at last; Harry had to go
out, and I've been all alone this half hour." Then, starting up, she
seized a hand of each, exclaiming "You need not tell me, I see how it
is; I am so glad, so very glad."

"I saw you at the ordination this morning," said Charley Elliott, who
came in during the evening, addressing Isabel, "only you were in such a
fearful hurry to get away that I did not get a chance to speak."

"Then you must have very good eyes, Mr. Elliott, as Isabel was not
there," cried Emily, laughing.

"I beg your pardon," he returned.

"I was there," said Isabel quietly, though she colored hotly.

"You were?" exclaimed Everard, evidently well satisfied.

"I declare you--are--a queer girl," said Emily,