ot pity, I should----" She stopped confused, a deep blush
spread over her face, she burst into tears, and would have sunk to the
ground had not her lover caught her in his arms. "Think of me thus," he
whispered, "till we meet again, and we may both be happy." "Oh! I will
think of you thus for ever!" They had reached the door of the cottage.
"God bless you, Emily," said the stranger; "I dare not see Mrs.
Sommers; tell her of my departure, but tell her that ere autumn has
faded into winter I shall again be here. Farewell, dearest, farewell."
She felt upon her cheek a hot and hurried kiss; and when she ventured to
look round he was gone.

Henry arrived next day, but there was a gloom upon the spirits of both
mother and daughter, which it took some time to dispel. Mrs. Sommers
felt for Emily more than for herself. She now perceived that her child's
future happiness depended more upon the honour of the stranger than she
had hitherto been aware, and she trembled to think of the probability
that in the busy world he might soon forget the very existence of such a
place as Hodnet, or any of its inhabitants. Emily entertained better
hopes, but they were the result of the sanguine and unsuspicious
temperament of youth. Her cousin, meanwhile, exerted himself to the
utmost to render himself agreeable. He was a young, frank, handsome
soldier, who had leapt into the very middle of many a lady's heart--red
coat, sword, epaulette-belt, cocked hat, feathers, and all. But he was
not destined to leap into Emily's. She had enclosed it within too strong
a line of circumvallation. After a three months' siege, it was
impregnable. So Henry, who really loved his cousin, thinking it folly to
endanger his peace and waste his time any longer, called for his horse
one morning, shook Emily warmly by the hand, mounted, "and rode away."

Autumn came; the leaves grew red, brown, yellow, and purple; then
dropped from the high branches, and lay rustling in heaps upon the path
below. The last roses withered. The last lingering wain conveyed from
the fields their golden treasure. The days were bright, clear, calm, and
chill; the nights were full of stars and dew, and the dew, ere morning,
was changed into silver hoar-frost. The robin hopped across the garden
walks, and candles were set upon the table before the tea-urn. But the
stranger came not. Darker days and longer nights succeeded. Winter burst
upon the earth. But still the stranger came not. Then the