a
charming little village with which he was familiar.

The prospect of such a jaunt was to me indeed agreeable; and as he liked
to see me in becoming dress, I arrayed myself in white, placed a fillet
of pale blue ribbon round my hair and a bouquet of blue forget-me-nots in
the bosom of my dress, and thus adorned set forth, sitting by Richard's
side.

I was as happy as a young queen; all the black suspicions which had
darkened my horizon were absorbed in the fierce heat of that summer
morning. His beauty, his fascinating smile, his lively conversation,
filled me with rapture.

Arrived at the village, we stopped at a small but pretty tavern and
alighted. While I entered the dwelling Richard drove his horses under
shelter. He soon joined me, looking much disconcerted.

"Agnes, my darling, what shall we do? We cannot ride back to-night; the
carriage is out of order, and I fear the horse is injured by the heat and
rapid driving."

"O Richard, I must return home to-night!" I answered decidedly.

"Well, I will see what can be done, but we will rest awhile and take some
refreshments."

A delightful half hour passed while we were regaling ourselves with
country fare and looking at the strange place from the window of the
little inn. Then Richard proposed that we should walk out while waiting
for repairs to our vehicle. Together we strolled through the quiet lanes
and open commons till we came upon a pretty, unpretending church, half
hidden in ivy and creeping vines. The door stood open. "Come," said he,
"let us go in." I followed him in. To my surprise I discovered a
clergyman in his robes at the altar. Richard whispered in my ear some
words which I could not understand and their import I could only guess
at, but his tender manner brought the hot blood to my face.

"Agnes," he continued, speaking with quiet determination; "you must be
mine; everything is in readiness. We cannot return to-night; Fate ordains
it!"

It did appear to me that Fate, as he said, ordained the events which
followed that country drive. All the love and sentiment of my nature was
aroused; but reason told my intoxicated senses that I must not act
without forethought, so I shook my head to his passionate urgency and
endeavored to withdraw. But my companion pressed me gently back into an
open pew, and hastened past me up the aisle.

A rapid conversation then took place between himself and the clergyman,
who, after casting his eyes in my direction