ng his companion to follow him.

When the party rode up to the station, they left their horses at the
stable, and walked into the house, at the entrance of which they were
met by Mrs. Rainsfield. John she at once attacked for his past coolness
and unneighbourly conduct in abstaining from ever calling upon her; and
he, when he had entered the parlour, and was met by Eleanor with just
sufficient confusion and reserve to make her more than ever interesting,
and with a warmth that quite overcame him, felt the old fire in his
heart burning with redoubled fury. But when she exclaimed, "Really, Mr.
Ferguson we had quite relinquished the idea of ever seeing you again,
you have so long estranged yourself from our society;" and continued, "I
can't think you could have taken any offence at anything we may have
done or said; but if so, upon your mentioning it, we will endeavour to
make the _amende honorable_,"--he was perfectly reclaimed from his
"slough of despond." At the same time he knew he could make no
explanation, and therefore kept silent. What was he to do? he was again
enslaved as hopelessly as ever; for the charm of Eleanor's presence he
could not resist. How could he act a part of coldness or indifference,
when she enchanted him with her kindest manner, and gladdened his heart
with her sweetest smile? At that moment he made a determination which
seemed to alter his whole manner, and infuse new life into his spirits;
what that determination was, gentle reader, thou shalt shortly know by
his actions. The thought passed through his mind, as the transient cloud
flits across the face of the sun; it thawed the ice-bound ligaments of
his heart, and gave him utterance in the following remark:

"I am afraid I am indeed a truant, Miss Rainsfield, and ought therefore
to make my apologies due on my neglect; but it would be useless in my
attempting to exonerate, or even excuse myself; so I will throw myself
on your clemency, and crave your interpretation of my abandonment, in
the most charitable light."

This speech of John's, if it were uttered designedly, was a masterpiece.
To Mr. Rainsfield it had an air of flippancy that indicated to him a
total suppression of any tender feeling; and he congratulated himself
that his young friend had had sufficient good sense to see the justice
of his remarks to him with respect to Eleanor. To Mrs. Rainsfield it
appeared in a different light; she detected in it a warmth that sprung
spontaneous