in reference to the fair Edith, that he mounted his
pony one evening in desperation, and galloped away in hot haste to
declare his passion, and realise or blast his hopes for ever. As he
approached the villa, however, he experienced a sensation of emptiness
about the region of the stomach, and regretted that he had not taken
more food at dinner. Having passed the garden gate, he dismounted,
fastened his pony to a tree, and struck across the shrubbery towards the
house with trembling steps. As he proceeded, he received a terrific
shock by observing the flutter of a scarf, which he knew intuitively
belonged to Edith. The scarf disappeared within a bower which stood not
more than twenty yards distant from him, close beside the avenue that
led to the house. By taking two steps forward he could have seen Edith,
as she sat in the bower gazing with a pensive look at the distant
prospect of hill and dale, river and lake, in the midst of which she
dwelt; but the young man could as easily have leaped over Stanley's
villa, farm and all, as have taken these two steps. He essayed to do
so; but he was rooted to the ground as firmly as the noble trees under
which he stood. At length, by a great effort, he managed to crawl--if
we may so express it--to within a few yards of the bower, from which he
was now concealed only by a few bushes; but just as he had screwed up
his soul to the sticking point, and had shut his eyes preparatory to
making a rush and flinging himself on his knees at Edith's feet, he was
struck powerless by the sound of a deep sigh, and, a moment after, was
all but annihilated by a cough!

Suddenly the sound of horse-hoofs was heard clattering up the avenue.
On came the rider, as if in urgent haste. In a few seconds a curve in
the avenue brought him into view. He was a man of handsome and massive
proportions, and bestrode a black charger that might have carried a
heavy dragoon like a feather. A wheel-barrow had been left across the
track, over which the steed went with an easy yet heavy bound,
betokening well-balanced strength and weight; and a bright smile lighted
up the rider's bronzed face for an instant, as his straw-hat blew off in
the leap and permitted his curling hair to stream out in the wind. As
he passed the bower at a swinging gallop, an exclamation of surprise
from Edith attracted his attention. The charger's hoofs spurned the
gravel while he was reined up so violently that he was thrown on his