ed by
my terror-stricken companions to fly. Then I thought of my own safety;
and, my darling sister, I thought of you, and determined that you should
hear of your brother's disgrace and crime from no lips but his own. I
have been hanging about here all day, but could not see you; and
finding no other way to call your attention, I borrowed this guitar at
the tavern, and have been watching from these trees, till I saw a white
form at a window, which I knew was yours. Now, Agnes, what shall I do?"

"Oh, Lewie, what can I say but _fly_, and save yourself from an
ignominious fate! It may not be right counsel; but how can a sister
advise otherwise? My poor, poor brother!" And Agnes was relieved by a
passionate burst of tears. And now came the time for parting. He must
go, for they would be likely to seek him in the home of his only
sister,--he must go quickly and quietly;--and, with a few hurried words,
in which his sister commended him to God, and entreated him to go to
_Him_ for pardon and peace, and with one last fond embrace, they parted.
Agnes returned to the house with feeble, staggering steps, stricken to
the very heart.

No sleep visited the eyes of Agnes that night; and when she appeared in
the breakfast room the following morning, her pale and haggard
countenance showed marks of extreme suffering, which should have been
respected even by the Misses Fairland. But no! their quick ears had also
caught the tones of the guitar, and rushing to a window on that side of
the house, in the expectation of a serenade, they had seen Agnes as she
crossed the lawn, and returned again to the house. Here was food for
conjecture, and jealousy for the suspicious ladies, and they had long
been awaiting the arrival of Agnes in the breakfast room, hoping to have
the mystery cleared up.

"May we be informed, Miss Elwyn," began Miss Calista, "how long you have
been in the habit of receiving signals from lovers, and stealing out at
night to give them clandestine meetings in the grove?"

A bright blush suffused the cheek of Agnes, which died away immediately,
leaving it of an ashy paleness, as she said:

"I have met no lover in the grove, Calista, at least not what _you_ mean
by a lover," she added, thinking this might be an evasion, for did not
her brother love her dearly?

"Not what _I_ call a lover," said Miss Calista; "a very nice
distinction! then you do not deny that you met what _you_ call a lover
in the grove. Indeed you need