very kind and very indulgent to all my whims, but
he never could obtain such an influence over me as
to become the depositary of my secrets. Nothing
but a friend, like yourself, can do that, my dear
Anna."

"Never! Miss Warren," said the youth with a lip that
betrayed by its tremulous motion the interest he
took in her speech--"never includes a long period of
time. But," he added with a smile of good-
humoured pleasantry, "if admitted to such a
distinction, I should not feel myself competent to
the task of commenting on so much innocence and
purity, as I know I should find in your
correspondence."

"Yes," said Anna, with a little of the energy of her
friend's manner, "you may with truth say so, Mr.
Weston. The imagination of my Julia is as pure as--
as-----" but turning her eyes from the countenance
of Julia to that of the youth, rather suddenly, the
animated pleasure she saw delineated in his
expressive, though plain features, drove the
remainder of the speech from her recollection.

"As her heart!" cried Charles Weston with
emphasis.

"As her heart, Sir," repeated the young lady coldly.