e was sorry to part; and she had seen
comparatively little of him. Indeed, when the three gentlemen set out,
she thought so much of Arthur's being away for a week, that she could
not care for John's voyage to Madeira, and looked preoccupied when he
affectionately wished her good-bye, telling her to watch for him in the
spring,--her house would be his first stage on his return. Then, as he
saw her clinging to Arthur to the last moment, and coming down with him
to the bottom of the long steps, he thought within himself, 'And by that
time there will be some guessing how much strength and stability there
is with all that sweetness, and she will have proved how much there is
to trust to in his fondness!'

There was not much time for bewailing the departures before Emma Brandon
came to claim her guest; and the drive was pleasant enough to make
Violet shake off her depression, and fully enjoy the arrival at
Rickworth, which now bore an aspect so much more interesting than on her
former drive.

The wooded hills in the first flush of autumn beauty sloped softly down
to the green meadows, and as the carriage crossed the solid-looking old
stone bridge, Violet exclaimed with transport, at a glimpse she caught
of a gray ruin--the old priory! She was so eager to see it that she and
Emma left the carriage at the park gate, and walked thither at once.

Little of the building remained, only a few of the cloister arches, and
the stumps of broken columns to mark the form of the chapel; but the
arch of the west window was complete, and the wreaths of ivy hid its
want of tracery, while a red Virginian creeper mantled the wall. All was
calm and still, the greensward smooth and carefully mown, not a nettle
or thistle visible, but the floriated crosses on the old stone coffin
lids showing clearly above the level turf, shaded by a few fine old
trees, while the river glided smoothly along under the broad floating
water-lily leaves, and on its other side the green lawn was repeated,
cattle quietly grazing on the rich pasture, shut in by the gently rising
woods. The declining sun cast its long shadows, and all was peace,--the
only sounds, the robin's note and the ripple of the stream.

Violet stood with her hands resting on Emma's arm, scarcely daring to
break the silence. 'How lovely!' said she, after a long interval. 'O
Emma, how fond you must be of this place!'

'Yes, it is beautiful,' said Emma, but with less satisfaction than
Violet expe