of the profligate, who had lost, I forget how many hundred pounds one night at cards." "No, indeed, he told me nothing of all this-you wrong him-you misunderstand each other; but you must be better friends, now that he is my guardian." "Your guardian!" exclaimed Delmour, as if thunder-struck; "what in the name of Heaven, do you mean?” "Even that it seems it was necessary for me to have guardians appointed, and so I have made choice of my cousin for one; he has already proved himself my friend on more occasions than one, and to him, I think, I owe my life; you cannot, therefore, wonder at my choice." "Yet you must be aware that Lyndsay is no friend to me, nor-I confess it-am I to him: we think differently upon most subjects, and his creed is much too bigotted and intolerant for me." "Indeed, I have not found him so; on the contrary, I should say he was extremely liberal in his sentiments, and lenient in his judgments; and, I am sure, he has a great deal more toleration than I have. I wish I saw you both better friends-why should it not be so ?" "Because I am no hypocrite, Gertrude; and, perhaps, also, because-shall I confess my weakness to you? I am jealous that you should bestow so much of your regard upon him." 66 Jealous of my regard for Edward Lyndsay !" exclaimed the Countess; "then you would be jea lous if I had a brother whom I loved." "Yes, I believe I should; when a man loves, as I do, to adoration, he can seldom brook any interference in those affections, which ought to be exclusively his own; your lukewarm sort of people, I know, make all welcome; but I am not one of these. Ah! Gertrude, woman's heart is, indeed, a royal palace, if it admit but one guest, and then, 'tis a glorious privilege to be that one." "Nay, you would rather turn it into a cell, I think," said Gertrude, smiling, "and become yourself a moping monk." "No matter what it is, provided it is mine-solely and exclusively mine," returned Delmour, impatiently. "But being yours, wholly yours," said the Countess, and she blushed at the tone of emphatic tenderness with which she said it; "surely you would not wish it to be unjust and ungrateful to all the world beside-such a thing would be no better worth having than this pebble on which I tread," as she touched one with her foot. "Do not blame me Gertrude, because conscious that I possess a pearl richer than all its tribe, I fear to leave it open to all, lest even a part of it should be stolen from me-Common things may be shared -but, who could lose the hundredth part of a rare and costly gem, without feeling that its value was gone? Even such a miser am I with your affections. You are all the universe to me; day and night I think, I dream but of you-a desert island in the midst of the ocean with you would be a paradise.Gertrude, if you shared in these feelings, how little would you think or care for others in comparison." "Alas! you little know-but how shall I convince you, sceptic as you are, of my-folly ?" added she with a smile; "you would not have me perjured, and to my mother-or drive from my house a friend and relation, to whom I owe so much-or retract my word passed to him, when I chose him for my guardian?" Colonel Delmour remained silent. "Surely you would not have me so base as to do any of those things, nor would you value such proofs. of my attachment." Colonel Delmour found he had gone far enough for the present, and that, gentle and feminine as Gertrude was, his influence over her mind must be more gradual than he had expected. He saw that he was beloved with all the fervour and simplicity of a young and confiding heart-but love with her was yet too pure, unsullied a passion, to have tainted the better feelings of her nature. These still flowed free and generous-she loved and was beloved, and her heart expanded beneath the joyous influence, and the bright rainbow hues of hope and fancy tinged every object with their own celestial colours. But no shade of suspicion or mistrust fell on the noontide of her happiness. Even the narrow, selfish, domineering sentiments she had just heard fall from the lips of her lover, seemed to her to breathe only the quintessence of love, and she looked on him in all the calm radiance of a happy and trusting heart. "Be it as you will, Gertrude,” said he, “ my fate is in your hands-you know your power, for I have told you what I am-proud, jealous, vindictive, perhaps, where you are concerned; but such as I am you have vowed to be mine-have you not?" "When I am twenty-one, that is, unless you should change your mind," added she sportively. "I change!" repeated he: "no Gertrude, you will see many a strange sight before that comes to pass-this river may change its course, and these rocks may change into plains, but my heart can never change in its love for you." Much more of the same sort passed, for lovers, it is well known, carry the art of tautology to its utmost perfection, and even the most impatient of them can both bear to hear and repeat the same things times without number, till the sound becomes the echo to the sense or the nonsense previously uttered. But lovers' walks and lovers' vows must have an end, and Lady Rossville and Colonel Delmour found themselves at the Castle, ere they had uttered one hundredth part of all they had to say. CHAPTER XXI. Hot from the field, indulge not yet your limbs ARMSTRONG. "WHAT have you done with the Major?" exclaimed his lady as they entered the saloon, and found her and Miss Pratt with their heads together. Gertrude was at a loss how to answer this question, as, till this moment, she had as completely forgot the Major, as though no such person were in existence. "Where in the world is the Major?" was repeated in a voice of alarm. "Very snug in his cloak probably," answered Colonel Delmour, with a disdainful smile. "Lady Rossville-cousin, I entreat of you what has become of the Major?" "I daresay he is not far off," answered the Countess ; "but he did not overtake us." "Good gracious! exclaimed the lady, all panting with alarm, "did he not overtake you? then the Major is lost!" "My dear Mrs. Waddell, don't distress yourself," began Miss Pratt ;-" depend upon it he'll cast up; there's good day-light yet, and he may meet some of the work people in the woods; and we'll send out some of the servants to seek for him. Colonel Delmour, will you pull the bell; he never would think of taking the Crow-Foot Crag, and that's the only ugly turn about the banks-Lady Rossville, I'll thank you for the smelling-bottle there-there's not much water in the river just now-Jackson, a glass of water here as quick's you can, and send out some of the men to look for Major Waddell "With bells, ropes, and lanthorns," said Colonel Delmour. "There is Major Waddell, Ma'am," said the pompous Jackson, as he glanced his eye, but without turning his head, towards the window. "Where?-Oh! where?" exclaimed his lady, as she flew to the window-"Thank God!" as she again sunk upon her seat. The Major it certainly was in propria persona, slowly and laboriously plodding his weary way, close buttoned to the chin, though evidently ready to drop with heat and fatigue. He carried a handkerchief in his hand, which he ever and anon applied to his face, which shone forth like a piece of polished yew. To add to his perturbation, Miss Pratt, throwing open a window, screeched out to him "Come away, Major, make haste ;-here's your good lady in hysterics almost about you." The poor Major, uttering an ejaculation of despair, did his utmost to mend his pace. and again the drooping capes, arms, sails, and tails of his cloak were all in commotion, as the inward man struggled and plunged amidst the toils of broadcloth and timmen, till at length the whole mass came floundering into the room. “O, Major!" exclaimed his lady faintly, as she rose to meet him. "My sweet girl, what is all this?" cried the Major, as he cast back part of his folds, and extended his arms like claws towards her. |