ainst a tree by the
roadside, at the corner of a path which led from the highway to a
private residence. Again it was August, exactly four years since he
had quitted C----, exactly four years since the most singular event of
his life had occurred. He took from his breast the little crayon
sketch, carefully preserved in a black morocco-case, and, amid the
most beautiful scenery in the world, gave way to a reverie in which
the past blended with the future--his thoughts roaming from the
heavenly beauty of the death-bed scene to the austere sanctity of St
Bernard or La Trappe. Strange fancies for one who had barely completed
his twenty-seventh year, and who was in the heyday of fame and
fortune! Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps was heard.
Conrad hastily closed the morocco-case, replaced it in his breast, and
was preparing to continue his walk, when an elegant female figure
abruptly emerged from the bypath; and the features, turned fully
towards him--O Heavens!--who could mistake? The very same he had
painted!--the same which had dwelt in his heart for years! The shock
was too tremendous: without a sigh or exclamation, Conrad fell
senseless to the ground.

When he revived, he found himself lying upon a sofa in a
well-furnished chamber, with the well-remembered form and features of
Mr Harrenburn bending over him. It seemed as if the whole course of
the last four years had been a long dream--that Mr Harrenburn, in
fact, was rousing him to perform the task for which he had sought him
out at C----. For awhile Conrad was dreadfully bewildered.

'I can readily comprehend this alarm and amazement,' said his host,
holding Conrad's hand, and shaking it as if it were that of an old
friend, newly and unexpectedly met. 'But be comforted; you have not
seen a spirit, but a living being, who, after undergoing a terrible
and perilous crisis four years ago, awoke from her death-sleep to heal
her father's breaking heart, and has since been his pride and joy as
of yore--her health completely restored, and her heart and mind as
light and bright as ever.'

'Indeed!--indeed!' gasped Conrad.

'Yes,' continued Mr Harrenburn, whose countenance, Conrad observed,
wore an appearance very different from that which affliction had
imparted to it four years previously. 'The form on the bed which your
pencil imitated so well, remained so completely unchanged, that my
heart began to tremble with a new agony. I summoned an eminent
physician