n exercise till near
breakfast time.

On the morning succeeding the evening of which we have been speaking,
they had presented themselves at the spring. Gertrude had gratified the
doctor, and made a martyr of herself by imbibing a tumblerful of water
which she found very unpalatable; and he having quaffed his seventh
glass, they had both proceeded some distance on one more walk around the
grounds when he suddenly missed his cane, and believing that he had left
it at the spring, declared his intention to return and look for it.

Gertrude would have gone back also, but, as there might be some
difficulty in recovering it, he insisted upon her continuing her walk in
the direction of the circular railway, promising to come round the other
way and meet her. She had proceeded some little distance, and was
walking thoughtfully along, when, at an abrupt winding in the path, she
observed a couple approaching her--a young lady leaning on the arm of a
gentleman. A straw hat partly concealed the face of the latter, but in
the former she recognised Bella Clinton. It was evident that Bella saw
Gertrude, and knew her, but did not mean to acknowledge her
acquaintance; for, after the first glance, she kept her eyes obstinately
fixed either upon her companion or the ground. This conduct did not
disturb Gertrude in the least; Bella could not feel more indifferent
about the acquaintance than she did; but being thus saved the necessity
of awaiting and returning any salutation from that quarter, she
naturally bestows her passing glance upon the gentleman who accompanied
Miss Clinton. He looked up at the same instant, fixed his full grey eyes
upon her, with that careless look with which one stranger regards
another, then, turning as carelessly away, made some slight remark to
his companion.

They pass on. They have gone some steps--but Gertrude stands fixed to
the spot. She feels a great throbbing at her heart. She knows that look,
that voice, as well as if she had seen and heard them yesterday. Could
Gertrude forget Willie Sullivan? But he has forgotten her. Shall she run
after him and stop him, and catch both his hands in hers, and compel him
to see, and know, and speak to her? She started one step forward in the
direction he had taken, then suddenly paused and hesitated. A crowd of
emotions choked, blinded, suffocated her, and while she wrestled with
them, and they with her, he turned the corner and passed out of sight.
She covered her f