himself so ungrateful for my interest in his welfare," Elsie said, looking
first at her father and then at Harold with a merry twinkle in her eye.

"I don't think I've asked how you like your new home and prospects,
Harold," said Mr. Dinsmore, changing the subject.

"Very much, thank you; except that they take me so far from the rest of
the family."

A few months before this Harold had met with a piece of rare good fortune,
looked at from a worldly point of view, in being adopted as his sole heir
by a rich and childless Louisiana planter, a distant relative of Mrs.
Allison.

"Ah, that is an objection," returned Mr. Dinsmore; "but you will be
forming new and closer ties, that will doubtless go far to compensate for
the partial loss of the old. I hope you are enjoying yourself here?"

"I am indeed, thank you." This answer was true, yet Harold felt himself
flush as he spoke, for there was one serious drawback upon his felicity;
he could seldom get a word alone with Elsie; she and her father were so
inseparable that he scarcely saw the one without the other. And Harold
strongly coveted an occasional monopoly of the sweet girl's society. He
had come to Viamede with a purpose entirely unsuspected by her or her
apparently vigilant guardian.

He should perhaps, have confided his secret to Mr. Dinsmore first, but his
heart failed him; and "what would be the use?" he asked himself, "if Elsie
is not willing? Ah, if I could but be alone with her for an hour!"