the brilliancy of day. A large tent had been pitched between two stately elms, for the accommodation of the ladies, and their protection against the night air. The two Irishmen who had brought out the provision waggon, and built the log fires, came forward to take the horses of the new comers, and the merry crowd of ladies and gentlemen gathered round them to welcome their safe arrival-for their long delay had already occasioned some uneasiness, and one of the servants was just preparing to ride back to see what had befallen them. "Ha! ha! Mr. Neaton," exclaimed a dark-eyed beauty of seventeen; "what did 1 tell you this morning about the danger of riding by moonlight with Miss Brandon? and you only laughed, and said your heart was stone. Do you realise the important fact that you have been so overcome by her fascinations that you have loitered for a full half-hour, and almost frightened your friends out of their wits? This is one of the stern facts you talk so much about, and now I'm determined you shall explain it.” "Yes, and here is another stern fact, Neaton," said her gallant, a roguish-eyed youth of nineteen. "Just look at my clothes, will you? Miss Howell was enthroned upon that lofty pine stump, and in my humility I took a lowly seat at her feet, upon a most romantic moss bank-and now just look at my clothes-wet beyond all precedent; and after all my efforts to elevate my idol to the summit of that stump, the wicked little divinity only mocked at my frantic leap out of that soggy seat, and called me her knight of the mossy spring.” "Served you right," said Neaton, laughing. "Why did you set up a Howell before you were hurt ?" Hurrah for Neaton," cried several voices-" best pun yet." "I wish some of you gentlemen would help me lift this kettle of coffee off," screamed an excited maiden from one of the fires-"it's all very well for you to be moping around and manufacturing miserable puns, but when your coffee is ruined through your neglect, you'll be nicely pun-ished. Now there's a practical pun for you, and more pun-gent too than some of you men will be when you get a pun-cheon of panch in your head. Come, hurry up, some of you pun-chinellos, or I'll punch Some of you with this spoon," and she brandished the long ladle with a tragic air at the group of gentlemen about Miss Brandon. Several gentlemen sprang to her assistance, but a young man with a juvenile face, who stood nearest to the fire, and only answered her summons by coolly slapping his boot-leg with his riding whip, exclaimed, "See them run for fear of a ladleregular spoon-eys.” *Is it possible you have perpetrated that pun without assistance, Mr. Bumsteed?" a married lady near him, peering into his face with a mock expression of surprise. "Oh, don't force Bumsteed to dwell on it, Mrs. Peters, I beg of you," interrupted a medical student; "the effort has been too much for his mental organisation, and y lead to very dangerous results-I would recommend the application to his Lead of lumps of ice, or cold water cloths." "You are more of a sufferer than I am," retorted Bumsteed, whose natural Buggish intellect appeared to brighten under the keen lash of the young doctor's renrks. UL V-NEW SERIES. C round that la Ige of rocks" reglel one of the party, pointing in the direction of the propitons descent dome which the tm hal milim a tw Cents before. “We thought it would be more romantic for our fres to be ca ↑ Duale the leiga, that the bring might be D-mod only by and to You can't mi, Anding it-keer ofte to the the light of the min to it in if a minute." "Cone Mr. Nesta," mid she, "you must gule me to the domini na of the * With pleasure. Miss Brandon," said Le, "Int you must parkın me II I should happen to aperk irreverently of your L.'gibiins in the spring—y: Love a good de, I believe, by this time, of my views on that subject. But fw your truc watchy, Sir Clarence Neston, of the grey armour, and he will sell you from all form, quo te inclulel," and catching up a carving knife frota a lg. Lo strole away with a tragic air in the direction of the spring, followed by Miss Brandon and the host, of the merry1arby. The two followed a very narrow and III defined path, which woun1 ar und 41e fose of the precipics, but a few seconls' walk brought them abruptly to the boing, and they both uttere 1 exclamations of delight at the beauty of the socne. The broken ma es of rock which havi fallen from the ledge formed an amphitheatre some hundred feet in dien.eter, of which the spring was the centre, and a few large dlms which stood within this c'rcle of rock, extended their leafless branches over the i, bbling water. The deposits of sulphur were spr 1 for several feet above the spring, and appeared in the moolight like masses of pure white coral. The reflection of two brilant stara dan sel upon the moving waters, which gushed up in the centre of the spring, and then circling around a rocky basin a few feet in diameter, gided sway under cover of the dead grass and leaves. The withery of evening and of solitude was upon the spot, and two human hearts, warmed by the magic power of beauty, poured forth the emotions of the soul in words which revealed to each the existence of those congenial sentiments that form the bonds of lasting friendship and devoted love. They stood as yet upon the threshold of life's temple, and the confused voices of the worshippers within seemed to their young imaginations to be uttering hymns of praise to all that purifies the heart and nobles the intellect. y yet hoped to find on entering only altars reared to purity and truth, and they till dreamel of finding there men unselfish and divine. And thus their hearts still responded to the sweet language of nature, and their eyes beheld the silver net which the Eternal had fung upon the branches of the overhanging elms, and the s were angel eyes peering at them through the trees. The mournful face of the ature was boking towards them, but they saw it not. Death waved his sable anner towards them, but they saw it not; for their souls were too intent upon the al of that sweet picture which the Great Artist was holding before them for a Lg purpose. At length their conversation wandered to the scenes of beauty which Neaton had of the bright eres Don caversation." Sa pag to her feet instantly, and felt a warm flush overspread her face, which height shadows fortunately concealed from Neaton's eye, as she exclaimed "Imple. Mr. Neaton-no one could be so rude. Why do you think so?" 1 sa pair of human eyes in that bush yonder," replied he, pointing towards thicket-"but whoever it was, the feet that belong with those eyes must be cat's Iam very quick to hear slight sounds, and my first impulse was to spring nto the bushes after the intruder, but I dared not leave you alone in such a place." "I did perfectly right in not noticing such an impertinent intermeddler,” pehe, with evident mortification in her tone, for she knew full well that any tor must have seen her sitting beside Neaton, and gazing earnestly into his at she feared her position and manner might have occasioned suspicions in an ever that she felt more interest in Neaton than she cared to acknowledge, or to hare her notice. st have been a little fairy," said Neaton, "to steal upon us so silently; Real mighty pretty eyes. Who do you imagine it was? I think she wore a Key ring hat." -some few of the ladies wear bright scarfs and light-coloured cloaks." the glimpse I had of her was too brief to identify anything," replied Neaton, should say she was dressed in dark colours. I may be mistaken, however. some one of our party who wished to have fun at our expense, and we shall hly hear more of it when we go back to the fire." Very likely," said she, thoughtfully; and her tone indicated that her mind was "Hark! some one is calling us." r rich voice echoed among the hills-"Mr. Neaton, hurry up-supper is oysters--cold turkey and muddy coffee-hurry up, if you want any r. for we are all going in-particularly the ladies. lingering looks upon the spring before they started back, for there 1 20 seemed a sweet fascination about the spot, and the sparkling waters uttered a low, gentle murmur. They felt, as they slowly wended their way back to their companions, that their hearts were nearer to each other in sympathy with the pure and beautiful then when they mounted their horses at sunset. CHAPTER I. ISSY AND HER LOVERS. ity in favour of either. True, Isabel had often been with Everleigh-there was the concert last Christmas, and the floral fête in August; but then Harry Dunn lent her books, and gave her hothouse flowers in winter-(did not handsome Ned afterwards discover that her bouquet at the concert came from Harry's conservatory!) and was her companion during that long day in N-- woods. And, though very plain, Harry was rich; and Isabel liked luxury, she said, and she often declared no one thought of Harry's plainness, he was so kind and clever. As for Frank, fearless Frank, everybody knew that he still, with good always declared, "whenever he married, "But it would be Isabel; looks and riches in his favour, Frank somehow did not make way with Isabel, Was there ever at least Sunnybrook thought not-so the question remained open. such a puzzle? SUNNYBQOOK was in a fix. Rumour after rumour arose and was circulated; and just as popular opinion decided it to be correct, up sprung another, and the last was nowhere. It was certainly very trying to that gossip-loving community (and nowhere will you find a village more given to gossip than Sunnybrook); very trying to the nerves, and very exciting to the feelings-very tantalising and very strange. But despite the reports of a hundred chattering tongues, and the prying of twice that number of eager eyes, Sunnybrook could not arrive at the truth, could not find out whom Isabel Hawthorne was really going to marry. what had Sunnybrook to do with the question at all?" asks the reader. Ah! what indeed, dear friend-dear city friend, I should have said, for the question itself betrays your identity. No village resident would perpetrate such a remark; for don't we know, we country folk, that nothing escapes village gossip, true or we enter false? And, therefore, can't into, or at least surmise, the excited state of Sunnybrook society? Some affirmed that Isabel had been seen walking in Lovers'-lane with a certain cousin of hers, from a neighbouring town, who came down to Sunnybrook rather oftener, it was surmised, than cousinly affection warranted; but then Isabel had said, over and over, that she would never marry a cousin; and Hope Tindale was poor besides; so only a minor portion favoured Hope. Then there was Everleigh, who was handsome; and Dunn, who was rich; and dashing Frank Fearsby, who was both. Each of these had been coupled with Isabel, and each in turn had been discarded, for not the most vigilant watch fulness could detect the slightest partial Meanwhile Isabel, or Issy, as she was more frequently called, went on her way much as usual; save that her merry laughter, that would ring out, despite every effort to restrain it, grew more and more frequent and not less joyous at each fresh blunder of the match - making coterie; so that some few opined that she was heartwhole after all; and soshe was, heartwhole, but not quite fancy-free. "But who was Isabel Hawthorne ?" I Well then, dear one ask. hear some reader, Isabel was the only unmarried daughter of Nicholas Hawthorne, of Sunnybrook, a gentleman of moderate means, respected who formerly practised as a surgeon. No one in Sunnybrook was more than was Mr. Hawthorne; and certainly none more beloved at home, and appre ciated abroad, than his daughter. Issy was not a beauty, though some thought so; yet there was a charm about her that ven vdmiration and kept it. Some said it was her eyes, some her manners, others Ler smile: Ned Everleigh sai lit was "her way of looking up at you;" perhaps it Tas the varying expression of her faceut it certainly was not the features. And lay was not a flirt, though you may have imagined so from Sunnybrook p; but indeed, dear reader, in spite ppearances Issy was not a flirt. True baghed and talked alike to all her ad-so-called. She used to say she liked tal, and was not going to sit up prim Ed conscious, because Sunnybrook had sto vote them lovers; indeed, she d they were all mistaken, for not as of love had any of them breathed her ear. So she kept on her way, a little wilful, puta, a little wrong, but meaning Hethers were not lovers, Harrison Ten was; and what is more, Issy knew ngh she would have done anysooner than own it; perhaps she lined the idea all the more, because, it her heart of hearts there lurked a wee of regard for him, regard that must Love sprang up in very contradiction, for Saanybrook scouted the notion that be social possibly be the favoured one. Harrison Young was neither handsome rich. Three years ago, when he came anybrook, he was in the enjoyment Landsome income, and therefore had pushed his profession; but there cme one of those reverses of fortune that ertinually occurring all the world ad he was left with only a small pra of his former wealth. He was , too, but he was clever, and could Yo he chose be very agreeable. Years re he came to Sunnybrook he had ejited by a young lady to whom he gaged; and since then he had Fed to despise all such folly, and fried himself proof against fascination at he was introduced to Issy. Intead, in spite of himself, he made the ost of his opportunity, and Issy's charms won upon him that very few succeedmeetings changed him to a devoted ver. But pride stepped in; the more he bed, the more he shrunk from disclosag it; there were so many who loved her, and what hope had he that Iss would return his love? No! he could not be accepted, and he would not be refused, so he kept aloof in apparent unconcern, and Sunnybrook was blinded-all but Issy. How is it that Cupid is so capricious; seldom lending his presence where it is most looked for, and surprising us when least expected? Especially contradictory must he have been when he visited Issy's heart; not all the beauty of Everleigh, nor the kindness of Harry Dunn, nor the lively wit of Fearsby effected half so much execution as one glance of Harrison's eye-one tone of his voice; she pined, and then she loved him. only Sunnybrook could have known! If And so matters went on. Harrison met Issy at various times, and always paid her attention; he was too proud not to do that, though he believed in his heart that she favoured Everleigh. Poor Harrison! What would he not have given to think otherwise; and what would not Issy have given? I fear she almost hated the Sunnybrook clique for so misconstruing other attentions; and yet they were nearer the truth than Issy. Gossip does sometimes hit the mark, and so Issy found. CHAPTER II. "I SAY, Everleigh, old fellow, shall you be there to-night?" "Where?" Why, at Dunn's; he's giving a 'do,' in honour of his sister's wedding, he says, but it's my belief he's doing it to please Issy Hawthorne. You're going, aren't you?" "No," shortly returned his companion. Fearsby (for it was he) stared at Eversleigh in amasement. "Really? that's news for Sunnybrook." Everleigh turned faint! "I say tho,' Nedwhy, Ned! you look as solemn as a funeral! What's up, old friend? 'Pen honour now, if it wasn't you, and therefore a thing impossible, I should say you'd been jilted." "And so I have," flashed Ned; "I'd have believed it of anybody sooner than her, though; and yet, confound it all! I |