Year: 1875

either from the direction of the fort
or of the high road. / was too far
off, Isuppose, to be heard. Looking
ahead of me, along the path, 1 dis
covered, to my infinite relief, the


figure of a man running towards me.
As he came nearer, saw, that he
was Enthusiastically, a gentleman
young, and eager to be of service
to me.


Pray compose yourself? ne said,
after look at my brother. 1t is
very dreadful to see; but it IS not
dangerous. We must wait until the
commissions are over, and then / can
help you. sl. 81. e.l-a F.


He seemed to know so much about
it that l thought he might be med
ical man. l put the question to him
plainly. .r.-


He colored and looked a little
confused.


l am not a doctor, he said. Ihap-
pen to have seen persons afflicted
with epilepsy; and l have heard
medical men say that it is use
less to interfere until the fit is over.
See, he added, your brother is qui-
eter already. He will soon feel a
sense of relief which will more than
compensate him for what he has suf-
fered. 1 will help him to get to the
fort-and, once there, we can send
for a carriage and take him home.


In five minutes more we were on
our way to the fort-the stranger
supporting my brother as attentive
ly and tenderly, as if he had been an
old friend. When the carriage had
been obtained he insisted on accom-
panying us to our own door, on the
chance that his services might still
be of some use. He left us, asking
permission to call and inquire after
James health the next day. A more
modest, gentle, and unassuming per
son never met with. He not only
excited our warmest gratitude; ne
interested me at my first meeting
with him. .. 15i


Hay some stress on the impression
which this young man produced on
newly, you will soon find ont.


The next day the stranger had
paid his promised visit of inquiry.
His card which he sent up stairs,
informed US that his name was Ro-
land Cameron. Ny father-who is
not easily pleased--took a liking to
him at once. His visit was prolong-
ed, at our request. He said just
enough about himself to satisfy US
that we were receiving a person who
was at least of equal rank with our
selves. Born in England, of
Scotch family, he, had lost both his
parents. Not long since, he had IN
herited a fortune from one of his
uncIes. 1t struck us as a little
strange that he spoke of this fortune
with a marked change to melancholy
in his voice and manner. The sub
iect was, for some inconceivable
reason, evidently distasteful to him.
Rich as he was, he acknowledged
that he led simple and solitary
life. He had little taste for society,
and no sympathies IN common with
the average young men of his age
But be had his harmless pleasures
and occupations; and past sorrow
and suffering had taught him not to
expect too much from life. All this
was said modestl7, with a winning
voice which indescribably attracted
me. His personal appearance aided
the favorable impression which his
manner and his conversation pro-
duced. He was of the middle height,
lightly and firmly built ) his COM
plexion pale; his hands and feet ,
small and finely shaped; his brown
hair curling naturally; his eyes large
and dark, with an occasional inde-
eision in their expression, which
was far from being an objection to
them, to my taste. 1t seemed to
harmonic with an occasional inde-
eision in his talk; proceeding, as /
was inclined to think, from some
passing confusion in his thoughts,
which it always cost him little ef
fort to discipline and overcome. -
Does it surprise you to see how
closely / observed a man who was
only chance acquaintance, at my
first interview with him2 Or do your
suspicious enlighten you, and do you
say to yourself, She has fallen in
love with Mr.. Roland Cameron at
first sight? 1 may pleadin my own
defense that l was not quite roman
tic enough to go that length. But
I own I waited for his next visit
with an impatience which was new
to me in my experience of my sober
self; And, worse still, when the
day came 1 changed my dress three
times, before my newly developed
vanity was satisfied with the picture
which the looking-glass presented
to me of myself!


In fortnight more my father
and brother began to look on the
companionship of our new friend
as one of the settled institutions of
their lives. In a fortnight more Mr..
Roland Cameron and Though we
neither of us Yentured to acknowl-
edge it-were as devotedly in love
with each other as two young peo-
pie could well be. All, what de-
iightful time it was, and how, cruel
" soon our happiness came to an
end! 5L55[f.E I'D


During the brief interval which ]
have lust described, l., observed GER
tain 1peehliarities in Roland Gamer
on's conduct which perplexed and
troubled me, when my mind was bu-
sy with him in my lonely moments.


For, instance, he was subject to the
strangest lapses into silence when
he and were talking together. Al
thesetimes his eyes assumed wea'
ry, absent look, and his mind seem
ed to wander away--far from the
conversation and from me- lie was
perfectly4aRawafe of his own inhrm.
ity; he fell into it unconseiOusly. u
l noticed that he had" not been Of
tending to me, or if asked why he
hadn lbeen silent, he lwSs com,
pletely at loss to comprehend
what Imeant. It puzzled and dis
tressad him What he was thinking