"Think! I can't think--I've got past that long ago!" replied his friend,

hopelessly. "Did you really say Leoline was alive and well?"

"And waiting for you--yes, I did, and I repeat it; and the sooner you

get back to town, the sooner you will see her; so don't loiter--"

"Ormiston, what do you mean! Is it possible I can see her to-night?"

"Yes, it is; the dear creature is waiting for you even now. You see,

after we got to the house, and she had consented to become a little

rational, mutual explanations ensued, by which it appeared she had ran

away from Sir Norman Kingsley's in a state of frenzy, had jumped into

the river in a similarly excited state of mind, and was most anxious

to go down on her pretty knees and thank the aforesaid Sir Norman for

saving her life. What could any one as gallant as myself do under these

circumstances, but offer to set forth in quest of that gentleman? And

she promptly consented to sit up and wait his coming, and dismissed me

with her blessing. And, Kingsley, I've a private notion she is as deeply

affected by you as you are by her; for, when I mentioned your name, she

blushed, yea, verily to the roots of her hair; and when she spoke of

you, couldn't so much as look me in the face--which is, yea must own, a

very bad symptom."

"Nonsense!" said Sir Norman, energetically. And had it been daylight,

his friend would have seen that he blushed almost as extensively as the

lady. "She doesn't know me."

"Ah, doesn't she, though? That shows all you know about it! She has

seen you go past the window many and many a time; and to see you," said

Ormiston, making a grimace undercover of the darkness, "is to love! She

told me so herself."

"What! That she loved me!" exclaimed Sir Norman, his notions of

propriety to the last degree shocked by such a revelation.

"Not altogether, she only looked that; but she said she knew you well

by sight, and by heart, too, as I inferred from her countenance when

she said it. There now, don't make me talk any more, for I have told you

everything I know, and am about hoarse with my exertions."

"One thing only--did she tell you who she was?"

"No, except that her name was Leoline, and nothing else--which struck me

as being slightly improbable. Doubtless, she will tell you everything,

and one piece of advice I may venture to give you, which is, you may

propose as soon as you like without fear of rejection. Here we are at

the Golden Crown, so go in and get your horse, and let us be off."

All this time Ormiston had been leading his own horse by the bridle, and

as Sir Norman silently complied with this suggestion, in five minutes

more they were in their saddles, and galloping at breakneck speed toward

the city. To tell the truth, one was not more inclined for silence than

the other, and the profoundest and thoughtfulest silence was maintained

till they reached it. One was thinking of Leoline, the other of La

Masque, and both were badly in love, and just at that particular moment

very happy. Of course the happiness of people in that state never lasts

longer than half an hour at a stretch, and then they are plunged back

again into misery and distraction; but while it does last, it in, very

intense and delightful indeed.




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