, and were seated, as usual, upon a
solitary block of granite, which, had they lived in heathen times, they
might have worshipped as the ancient and much respected god Terminus.
Mary, who had hitherto had the conversation almost entirely to herself,
suddenly noticed her lover's abstraction.

"Why, what's the matter with you, Thomas?"

"Nothing; I was only thinking, Mary."

"'Thinking, Mary!' well, do speak to Mary once in a while. I believe,"
she continued, after a pause, and with a faltering voice and feeling of
faintness that she could not account for, "I believe you are in love,
Thomas." She had heard that day that Captain Kelson was making furious
love to a sea-nymph in B----, the daughter of one of the richest
inhabitants.

"So I am, sweet Mary, most desperately so."

"I know it, sir; I heard it all this morning; I wish you joy," gasped
the poor girl.

"Heard of it all! good heavens, Mary, what do you mean? it is you, my
own dearest girl, that I love; who else _could_ you think of?" as he
spoke he held both her hands in his and clasped them earnestly.

"I heard," faltered poor Mary, "I was told that--that it was--Jane
Wilson, O, Thomas!" and sinking her glowing cheek upon his shoulder, she
burst into tears.

Kelson, inexpressibly delighted by this unequivocal testimony of her
love, prest her to his bosom, and hastened to explain to her that the
sole object of his seeking an interview with her that evening, was to
make known his affection; that his silence and reserve were owing to the
deep interest he felt in the issue of that interview; that his visits
to Captain Wilson's were solely on business; that he scarcely saw his
daughter Jane at any one of them; and a thousand other things. What a
stupid, asinine creature is a lover, _before_ the ice is broken, and
what an eloquent, inspired animal, _after_ the _explosion_! A lover may
retire to his closet, and spoil a whole ream of paper with "raven
locks," and "eyes' liquid azure," and "sweet girls," &c. Such an epicure
creature as Natty Willis will befoul you a quire of foolscap before
breakfast in that way--but let a stranger see the same lover in presence
of his idol, and he would think that he was then to apologise for an
assault and battery with intent, &c.

The walk home was the pleasantest they had ever enjoyed--both were too
happy for conversation. They decided, however, before they parted, that
it was altogether unnecessary to communicate to Captain