themselves at the hotel in the evening to be
introduced to Mrs. Jeremy and her companions, their room was enlivened
until a late hour by the cheerful conversation of a group of elderly
men, who, as they recalled the scenes and incidents of their youthful
days, seemed to renew their youthful spirits. The conversation, however,
was not of a character to exclude the ladies from participating in as
well as enjoying it. Emily listened with delight to a conversation which
had such varied charms, and shared with Gertrude the admiration of the
doctor's friends, who were all excited to the warmest sympathy for her
misfortune.

Upon hearing that Dr. Jeremy's party was going up the Hudson next
morning, Dr. Gryseworth, of Philadelphia, who had been a student of our
good doctor's, expressed his pleasure to meet them on the boat, and to
introduce to Gertrude his two daughters, whom he was to accompany to
Saratoga to meet their grandmother.

Gertrude, who slept soundly until wakened by Miss Graham, started up in
astonishment on seeing her dressed and standing by the bedside--a most
unusual circumstance, as Gertrude's morning kiss was wont to be Emily's
first intimation of daylight.

"Six o'clock, Gerty, and the boat starts at seven! The doctor has
knocked at our door."

"How soundly I have slept!" exclaimed Gertrude. "I wonder if it's a
pleasant day."

"Beautiful!" replied Emily, "but very warm. The sun was shining so
brightly that I had to close the blinds on account of the heat."

Gertrude made haste, but was not quite dressed when they were summoned
to breakfast. She had trunks to lock, and therefore insisted upon the
others preceding her to the breakfast-hall. The company was small,
consisting only of two parties besides Dr. Jeremy's, and a few
gentlemen, most of them business men. Of those who still lingered at the
table when Gerty made her appearance, there was only one whom she
particularly observed during the few moments allowed for breakfast.

This was a gentleman who sat at some distance from her, idly balancing
his tea-spoon on the edge of his cup. He seemed quite at his leisure,
and previous to Gertrude's entrance had won Mrs. Jeremy's animadversions
by a slight propensity to make a more critical survey of her party than
she found agreeable.

"Do, pray," said she to the doctor, "send the waiter to ask that man to
take something himself; I can't bear to have anybody looking at me so
when I'm eating!"

"He isn't