oung man, in
quick, broken tones, while his face turned pale with agitation.

"Nonsense, my boy! When I was young a youth didn't require so much
encouragement to woo a maiden. Before you make up your mind to leave me,
go and ask Sybil's consent to the step."

"Oh, sir! oh, Mr. Berners! do you mean this?" gasped the young man,
catching at the back of the chair for support. He was inured to sorrow,
but not to joy. And this joy was so sudden and overwhelming that he
reeled under it.

"I mean what I say, Mr. Howe. I esteem and respect you. I sanction your
addresses to my daughter," said old Bertram, speaking with more gravity
and dignity than he had before displayed.

John Lyon fervently kissed his old friend's hand, and went immediately
in search of Sybil. And that same night, old Bertram had the pleasure of
joining their hands together in solemn betrothal.

"And now I can die happy," said the old man, earnestly; "for it was not
another great fortune, but a good husband that I coveted for my darling
child."

Ten days from this night, old Bertram Berners dropped into his last
sleep. He was well and happy up to the last hour of his life. The "Wave
of Death," found him in his arm-chair, and bore him off without a
struggle to the "Ocean of Eternity." So old Bertram Berners was gathered
to his fathers.

The year of mourning was permitted to pass, and then John Lyon Howe,
having, according to the conditions of the marriage contract, assumed
the name and arms of Berners, was united in marriage to the beautiful
Sybil. And they set out on their bridal tour as Mr. and Mrs. Lyon
Berners.

And now we will again look in upon them as they linger over their
tea-table in the old inn at Norfolk, where we first introduced them to
our readers.

CHAPTER IV.

THE BEAUTIFUL STRANGER.

"From the glance of her eye
Shun danger and fly,
for fatal's the glance."

Very happy were the married lovers as they sat over their tea, even
though the scene of their domestic joy was just now but an inn-parlor.
Both the young people had good appetites: gratified love had not
deprived them of that.

They talked of their homeward journey and how pleasant it would be in
this glorious autumn weather, and of their home and how glad they would
be to reach it--yes, how glad! For, paradoxical as it may seem to say
so, th