young fellows, for each of whom she seemed to have some gay speech,
some attractive look or action. In a few minutes young Griffiths of
Bodowen was at her side, brought thither by a variety of idle
motives, and as her undivided attention was given to the Welsh heir,
her admirers, one by one, dropped off, to seat themselves by some
less fascinating but more attentive fair one. The more Owen
conversed with the girl, the more he was taken; she had more wit and
talent than he had fancied possible; a self-abandon and
thoughtfulness, to boot, that seemed full of charms; and then her
voice was so clear and sweet, and her actions so full of grace, that
Owen was fascinated before he was well aware, and kept looking into
her bright, blushing face, till her uplifted flashing eye fell
beneath his earnest gaze.

While it thus happened that they were silent--she from confusion at
the unexpected warmth of his admiration, he from an unconsciousness
of anything but the beautiful changes in her flexile countenance--the
man whom Owen took for her father came up and addressed some
observation to his daughter, from whence he glided into some
commonplace though respectful remark to Owen, and at length engaging
him in some slight, local conversation, he led the way to the account
of a spot on the peninsula of Penthryn, where teal abounded, and
concluded with begging Owen to allow him to show him the exact place,
saying that whenever the young Squire felt so inclined, if he would
honour him by a call at his house, he would take him across in his
boat. While Owen listened, his attention was not so much absorbed as
to be unaware that the little beauty at his side was refusing one or
two who endeavoured to draw her from her place by invitations to
dance. Flattered by his own construction of her refusals, he again
directed all his attention to her, till she was called away by her