get tired of reading, come down."

"I'll see about it," said Christine, as the door closed.

Ann looked beautiful indeed, as she entered the parlour, her
features lit up with a smile of graceful welcome. After a little
easy trifling, the conversation turned upon subjects which she knew
Christine would be interested in. Under a kind impulse, she left the
room, and hastened to her.

"Come down into the parlour, Christine," she exclaimed, laying her
hand affectionately upon her shoulder, as she approached. "Mr.
Darcet is telling about his travels in Europe, and I am sure you
will be interested. There (sic) isn o need of your being so
unsociable. Come, dear!"

Christine raised her face with an eloquent smile; she went with Ann
without speaking, but her heart was filled with a sweet happiness,
from this proof of thoughtful affection. When she was introduced to
Ann's friends, there was a most lovely expression on her face,
breathing forth from a pure joyfulness within.

"I was not aware that you had a sister, Miss Lambert," said Mr.
Darcet, turning to Ann, when they were quietly seated after a brief
admiring gaze at Christine.

"Perhaps I have been too much of a recluse," replied Christine
quickly, in order to relieve the embarrassment of Ann, which was
manifested by a deep blush. "I have yielded to sister Ann's
persuasions this time to be a little sociable, and I think I shall
make this a beginning of sociabilities."

"I hope so," returned Darcet; "do you think being much secluded, has
a beneficial effect upon the mind and feelings?"

"I do not," was the young girl's brief answer. The colour came to
her cheek, and a painful expression crossed her brow, an instant.
"But sometimes--" the sentence was left unfinished. Darcet's
curiosity was awakened by the sudden quiver of Christine's lip, and
forgetful of what he was about, he perused her countenance longer,
and more eagerly, than was perfectly polite or delicate. She felt
his scrutiny, and was vexed with her tell-tale face. There was a
silence which Mrs. Lambert interrupted by saying, with a smile,

"We should like to hear more of your adventures, Mr. Darcet, if it
is agreeable to you."

"Oh! certainly!" he replied. And he whiled an hour quickly away. Ann
was then urged to play and sing, which she did, but there was a
little haughtiness mingled with her usual grace.

"Don't you sing, Miss Christine?" asked Darcet, leaving the piano,
and approaching the window w