re kept alluding to Edith, whose changed
appearance had excited her sympathies.

"I've met her only a few times," said she, "but I have seen enough
of her to give me a most exalted opinion of her character. Some one
called her very plain; but I have not thought so. There is something
so good about her, that you cannot be with her long without
perceiving a real beauty in the play of her countenance."

"No one can know her well, without loving her for the goodness of
which you have just spoken," said Edwin.

"You are intimate with her?"

"Yes. She has been long to me as a sister." There was a roughness in
the voice of Florence as he said this.

"She passed without recognizing you," said Miss Linmore.

"So I observed."

"And yet I noticed that she looked you in the face, though with a
cold, stony, absent look. It is strange! What can have happened to
her?"

"I have observed a change in her for some time past," Florence
ventured to say; "but nothing like this. There is something wrong."

When the time to part, with his companion came, Edwin Florence felt
a sense of relief. Weeks now passed without his seeing or hearing
any thing from Edith. During the time he met Miss Linmore
frequently; and encouraged to approach, he at length ventured to
speak to her of what was in his heart. The young lady heard with
pleasure, and, though she did not accept the offered hand, by no
means repulsed the ardent suitor. She had not thought of marriage,
she said, and asked a short time for reflection.

Edwin saw enough in her manner to satisfy him that the result would
be in his favor. This would have made him supremely happy, could he
have blotted out all recollection of Edith and his conduct towards
her. But, that was impossible. Her form and face, as he had last
seen them, were almost constantly before his eyes. As he walked the
streets, he feared lest he should meet her; and never felt pleasant
in any company until certain that she was not there.

A few days after Mr. Florence had made an offer of his hand to Miss
Linmore, and at a time when she was about making a favorable
decision, that young lady happened to hear some allusion made to
Edith Walter, in a tone that attracted her attention. She
immediately asked some questions in regard to her, when one of the
persons conversing said--

"Why, don't you know about Edith?"

"I know that there is a great change in her. But the reason of it I
have not heard."

"Indeed! I tho