could not understand the meaning of all this. He did not believe
that any thing was wrong--he had too much confidence in Nina--but he
was puzzled. We will briefly apprise the reader of the cause of this
change.

One day--it was nearly a year from the time Nina had become a
constant visitor at Blanche Delebarre's--the young lady sat reading
a book in the matron's cottage. She was alone--Blanche having gone
out to visit a sick neighbor at Nina's request. A form suddenly
darkened the door, and some one entered hurriedly. Nina raised her
eyes, and met the gaze of a youthful strange, who had paused and
stood looking at her with surprise and admiration. With more
confusion, but with not less of wonder and admiration, did Nina
return the stranger's gaze.

"Is not this the cottage of Blanche Delebarre?" asked he, after a
moment's pause. His voice was low and musical.

"It is," replied Nina. "She has gone to visit a sick neighbor, but
will return shortly."

"Is my mother well?" asked the youth.

Nina rose to her feet. This, then, was Pierre Delebarre, of whom his
mother had so often spoke. The heart of the maiden fluttered.

"The good Blanche is well," was her simple reply. "I will go and say
to her that her son has come home. It will make her heart glad."

"My dear young lady, no!" said Pierre. "Do not disturb my mother in
her good work. Let her come home and meet me here--the surprise will
add to the pleasure. Sit down again. Pardon my rudeness--but are not
you the young lady from the castle, of whom my mother so often
writes to me as the good angel of the village? I am sure you must
be, or you would not be alone in my mother's cottage."

Nina's blushes deepened, but she answered without disguise that she
was from the castle.

A full half hour passed before Blanche returned. The young and
artless couple did not talk of love with their lips during that
time, but their eyes beamed with a mutual passion. When the mother
entered, so much were they interested in each other, that they did
not hear her approaching footstep. She surprised them leaning toward
each other in earnest conversation.

The joy of the mother's heart was great on meeting her son. He was
wonderfully improved since she last saw him--had grown several
inches, and had about him the air of one born of gentle blood,
rather than the air of a peasant. Nina staid only a very short time
after Blanche returned, and then hurried away from the cottage.

The