y on her cousin without seeing, far less acknowledging, the bows
levelled at her. Louis, alarmed by her looks, saw that no time was to
be lost; and rising hastily before any one was ready, perilled his fame
for eloquence by rapidly assuring the gentlemen and ladies that Miss
Dynevor was truly sensible of the kindness of their welcome, and their
manner of receiving the toast. Then pushing back his chair, with 'never
mind,' to Mrs. Smithers and her scent-bottle, he was at the back of
Clara's chair almost before her confused eyes had missed him in her
gasps for breath, and impulse to do something desperate; and so she
might, if his voice had not been in her ear, his hand grasping hers,
both to console and raise her. 'Clara, come, take care.' She obeyed,
but trembling so much that he was obliged to support her. Others would
have risen in alarm, but he silenced them by signs, and entreaties that
no one would frighten her grandmother. There was a large glass door
standing open under the Gothic window, and through it he led her out
upon a wide green lawn. She drew her breath in sobs, but could not
speak. Louis asked her to untie her bonnet, and touched the string,
which was merely a streamer. This brought a kind of laugh, but she
unfastened the bonnet herself, and the first use she made of her breath
was fiercely to exclaim--'How could you! Why did you not tell them I
never will--'

'Sit down,' said Louis, gently. 'Let me fetch some water.'

'No--no--let me get away from this place!' and she almost dragged him
along, as fresh cheers and peals of music broke out, till they had
entered a lonely walk in a sort of wilderness of shrubs. Still she
hurried on, till they came out on a quiet little garden, where the
tinkling of a little fountain was the only sound; the water looked
clear and fresh with the gold-fish darting in it, and the sun shone
calmly on the bright flowers and wavy ferns adorning the rockwork.

'What are you doing, Clara? You must rest here,' said he, drawing her
down on a rustic bench, intended to represent a crocodile.

'I can't rest here! I must go home! I'm going home to Jem!' she
exclaimed, obeying, however, because, though she could run, she could
not stand.

'Dear Clara,' he said, affectionately, 'it was much worse than I
expected. I never believed he could have committed himself to such an
open declaration, especially without warning.'

'I'll not stay!' cried Clara, with all the vehemen