he had parted with his wife, he threw
himself on the lounge, overcome by various emotions, and, in fact, far
from well in body, though this had been carefully concealed from his
anxious wife.

While he is thus resting and trying to put away unpleasant thoughts,
and our fair heroine is pursuing her way to Fort Holmes, we will tell
the reader of some of the peculiar circumstances of Lieutenant
Montgomery and his gentle bride, at the time our story begins. Lizzie
Taylor was a fair girl of little more than seventeen summers when she
first met Lieutenant Montgomery at a party given by some of the
_elite_ of Cincinnati. They were mutually attracted to each other, and
being thrown frequently into each other's society, this feeling
gradually ripened into love. Honorable and high-minded in all things,
young Montgomery did not conceal his fondness for Lizzie, and it was
generally known that he was her lover. But her father, a man of great
wealth and ambition, did not approve of what he chose to call her
childish fancy, and, being desirous that his daughters should form
brilliant marriages, frowned scornfully on the suit of one who had
_only_ his irreproachable character and his commission in the army of
the United States to offer as his credentials. Opposition in this
case, however, had its usual effect, and Lizzie, in all things else
obedient and complying, felt that here, even her father should not
interfere, when his objections were simply want of wealth and
influence on the part of him to whom she had given her young heart.
The young people, were not hasty, however, but waited patiently and
uncomplainingly a year, the father promising them that he would think
of it and give them an answer at that time. The proud man flattered
himself, that during that probationary year he could divert his
daughter from her foolishness, as he termed it, and excite her
ambition to form a wealthy alliance.

To this end, he travelled with her, introduced her into gay and
fashionable circles, and lavished upon her indulgences in every shape.
But he realized little of the depths of a woman's love, and was much
astonished when, at the end of the year, she sought an interview with
him, in which she told him, her feelings were unchanged, and she
desired his consent and blessing on her union with Lieutenant
Montgomery, adding that she hoped that time had softened his feelings
towards one with whom he could find no fault save that he loved his
daugh