needle industriously. The young gentleman looked on my arrangement with a
lurking smile for a few moments, and then uttering a long, low whistle,
arose from his chair and sauntered out. Passing me, he whispered:

"I will remember you for this, Miss Reef." He did seem to remember it, as
several days elapsed without his presenting himself.

Once I met him in the hall, and he merely bowed. If he had wished to
arouse in me an interest in himself, he could not have pursued a better
plan; for I grew restless and uneasy, regretting heartily that I had
offended him.




CHAPTER IV.


After three days had passed thus, I concluded I would explain to him my
motive. Accordingly, in the afternoon, when my hour of recreation came, I
brushed my hair carefully, changed my dress, and descended to the piazza
on which he generally lounged in the afternoon with a cigar.

As he was not there, I seated myself on a rustic chair to watch for him.
I had not sat many minutes when I heard the wheels of a carriage on the
gravel path; then the gay voice of Mr. Richard met my ear. I turned: he
was seated in the vehicle with a valise beside him, and was apparently
bound on a journey. As he caught sight of me, he raised his hat, bowed
distantly, and drove off.