, for just
then he heard the sound of a horse's feet, and his heart bounded, as
slowly round a bend of the lane, the chequered sunshine playing upon her
riding-habit, came Isa Gernon. Her head was bent, and her lithe,
graceful form swayed in gentle undulations to the well-trained pace of
her highly-broken mare.

Would she pass him? Would she ride on without a word?

It almost seemed that she would, for, buried in thought, Isa Gernon had
not seen the figure by the green lane bank; when moved by an
uncontrollable impulse, Brace darted to her side, to catch her gloved
hand in his, and stand at her saddle-bow gazing up into her face.

"There was the groom, some fifty yards behind, but he told himself it
was no business of his. He knew Sir Murray disapproved of it all; but
Sir Murray never asked him to put a stop to it; while, if he was a
sailor, Mr Brace Norton was a thorough gent, and free with his
'arf-crowns as could be. It wasn't for him to interfere with what my
young missus did. All he--Peter Barlow, young lady's groom--knew was,
that if he'd been Miss Isa, he'd sooner have had Mr Brace Norton than a
dozen Lord Maudlaines. Lord, indeed! as professed to 'unt, and to know
so much about 'osses, and sat across one like a sack o' chaff, while Mr
Norton had as pretty a seat as ever he see a man have out of the
profession--for, of course, you couldn't expect gents to ride like a
groom.

"Don't speak, Isa dear--Isa, my own sweet love!" whispered Brace, his
voice growing soft, and his words trembling with tenderness--"do not say
a word! I know all: that you are forbidden to see me; that there is a
ban upon our family; and that the past reveals a sad--sad story of
misery and broken hearts. But this meeting is not of your seeking--you
cannot help yourself. See, dearest! I am holding this soft, gentle
hand in mine--I am forcing you to listen to me; for, oh! Isa, sweet
love, I am mad with grief and misery. You know the story of my
father's--your poor mother's broken heart: is ours to be the same fate?
Do not think me cruel in bringing up these tales of the past; but is it
not our duty to try and clear away the mystery? My life upon it!" he
exclaimed, excitedly, "there is a clue to be found, in spite of the time
that has fleet; for do you for a moment think I will ever credit a word
of the cruel calumnies that stain our family names? They are all
false--false and unworthy! but they must be cleared away. And now