ever been to her as a brother, pace up and down the moonlit Terrace.
Arthur related all that passed between him and her uncle. She was as
much delighted as himself at the prospect which had thus suddenly opened
before him; the only drawback was that he would be absent so long from
Vellenaux.

"But you will write frequently, and come home whenever you can procure
leave of absence. And to think that you will not leave us for three
months. We will have a merry time this Christmas, Arthur, will we not?
and wind up with a fancy ball on the eve of your departure. Oh, it will
be delightful," said the excited girl, carried away by the idea of such
an event.

Verily, Mrs. Fraudhurst had divined truly. Love's insidious poison had
not yet developed itself in the bosom of either. They returned to the
drawing room, and, after singing together some of their favourite
pieces, they retired for the night.

It was near morning before Carlton fell asleep; even then his brain
continued to be disturbed by exciting dreams. Now leading a charge of
horses or storming some Indian fortress. Finally he dreamed that he had
rescued some Princess or Rajah's daughter from becoming the prey of an
enormous Bengal tiger, the head of which, strange to say, bore a
striking resemblance to Mrs. Fraudhurst; that the Rajah, in return for
his services, gave his daughter to him for a bride; that the marriage
took place at the little church at Vellenaux. He thought that as the
bride approached the altar in gorgeous attire, and was about to place
her hand within his, a seraph-like form glided between them and his hand
was lovingly grasped by Edith Effingham, when all suddenly vanished in a
thunder storm. He awoke with a start and leaped from the bed, for there