beginning of May, and the moon was getting high in the sky.

"When will he come home?" she murmured, as she leaned her head upon the
gate. "Oh, what would life be like without him? How miserable these few
days have been! I wonder what took him there! I wonder what is detaining
him! Corny said he was only gone for a day."

The faint echo of footsteps in the distance stole upon her ear, and
Barbara drew a little back, and hid herself under the shelter of the
trees, not choosing to be seen by any stray passer-by. But, as they drew
near, a sudden change came over her; her eyes lighted up, her
cheeks were dyed with crimson, and her veins tingled with excess of
rapture--for she knew those footsteps, and loved them, only too well.

Cautiously peeping over the gate again, she looked down the road. A tall
form, whose very height and strength bore a grace of which its owner was
unconscious, was advancing rapidly toward her from the direction of West
Lynne. Again she shrank away; true love is ever timid; and whatever may
have been Barbara Hare's other qualities, her love at least was true
and deep. But instead of the gate opening, with the firm quick motion
peculiar to the hand which guided it, the footsteps seemed to pass, and
not to have turned at all toward it. Barbara's heart sank, and she stole
to the gate again, and looked out with a yearning look.

Yes, sure enough he was striding on, not thinking of her, not coming to
her; and she, in the disappointment and impulse of the moment, called to
him,--

"Archibald!"

Mr. Carlyle--it was no other--turned on his heel, and approached the
gate.

"Is it you, Barbara! Watching for thieves and poachers? How are you?"

"How are you?" she returned, holding the gate open for him to enter, as
he shook hands, and striving to calm down her agitation. "When did you
return?"

"Only now, by the eight o'clock train, which got in beyond its time,
having drawled unpardonably at the stations. They little thought they
had me in it, as their looks betrayed when I got out. I have not been
home yet."

"No! What will Cornelia say?"

"I went to the office for five minutes. But I have a few words to say to
Beauchamp, and am going up at once. Thank you, I cannot come in now; I
intend to do so on my return."

"Papa has gone up to Mr. Beauchamp's."

"Mr. Hare! Has he?"

"He and Squire Pinner," continued Barbara. "They have gone to have a
smoking bout. And if you wait there with papa, it wil