hope and fancy tinged every object with their own celestial colours. But no shade of suspicion or mistrust fell on the noontide of her happiness. Even the narrow, selfish, domineering sentiments she had just heard fall from the lips of her lover, seemed to her to breathe only the quintessence of love, and she looked on him in all the calm radiance of a happy trusting heart.

"Be it as you will, Gertrude," said he, "my fate is in your hands-you know your power, for I have told you what I am-proud, jealous, vindictive, perhaps, where you are concerned; but such as I am you have vowed to be mine-have you not ?"

"When I am twenty-one, that is, unless you should change your mind,” added she sportively.

"I change!" repeated he; "no, Gertrude, you will see many a strange sight before that comes to pass-this river may change its course, and these rocks may change into plains, but my heart can never change in its love for you."

Much more of the same sort passed, for lovers, it is well known, carry the art of tautology to its utmost perfection, and even the most impatient of them can both bear to hear and repeat the

same things times without number, till the sound becomes the echo to the sense or the nonsense previously uttered. But lovers' walks and lovers' vows must have an end, and Lady Rossville and Colonel Delmour found themselves at the Castle, ere they had uttered one hundredth part of all they had to say.

CHAPTER II.

Hot from the field, indulge not yet your limbs
In wish'd repose; nor court the fanning gale,
Nor taste the spring. Oh! by the sacred tears
Of widows, mothers, sisters, aunts, forbear!

ARMSTRONG.

"WHAT have you done with the Major ?" exclaimed his lady as they entered the saloon, and found her and Miss Pratt with their heads together.

Gertrude was at a loss how to answer this question, as, till this moment, she had as completely forgot the Major, as though no such person were in existence.

"Where in the world is the Major ?" was repeated in a voice of alarm.

"Very snug in his cloak probably," answered Colonel Delmour, with a disdainful smile.

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Lady Rossville-cousin, I entreat of you what has become of the Major ?"

"I daresay he is not far off," answered the Countess ; "but he did not overtake us."

"Good gracious !" exclaimed the lady, all panting with alarm, "did he not overtake you? then the Major is lost!"

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"My dear Mrs Waddell, don't distress yourself," began Miss Pratt ;-" depend upon it he'll cast up; there's good day-light yet, and he may meet some of the work people in the woods; and we'll send out some of the servants to seek for him. Colonel Delmour, will you pull the bell; he never would think of taking the Crow-Foot Crag, and that's the only ugly turn about the banks-Lady Rossville, I'll thank you for the smelling-bottle there-there's not much water in the river just now-Jackson, a glass of water here as quick's you can, and send out some of the men to look for Major Waddell—”

"With bells, ropes, and lanthorns," said Colonel Delmour.

"There is Major Waddell, Ma'am," said the pompous Jackson, as he glanced his eye, but without turning his head, towards the window.

“Where?—Oh! where ?" exclaimed his lady,

as she flew to the window-" Thank God!" as she again sunk upon her seat.

The Major it certainly was in propria persona, slowly and laboriously plodding his weary way, close buttoned to the chin, though evidently ready to drop with heat and fatigue. He carried a handkerchief in his hand, which he ever and anon applied to his face, which shone forth like a piece of polished yew. To add to his perturbation, Miss Pratt, throwing open a window, screeched out to him

"Come away, Major, make haste;-here's your good lady in hysterics almost about you."

The poor Major, uttering an ejaculation of despair, did his utmost to mend his pace, and again the drooping capes, arms, sails, and tails of his cloak were all in commotion, as the inward man struggled and plunged amidst the toils of broadcloth and timmen, till at length the whole mass came floundering into the room.

"O, Major!" exclaimed his lady faintly, as she rose to meet him.

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My sweet girl, what is all this?" cried the Major, as he cast back part of his folds, and extended his arms like claws towards her.