around her friend's waist, to prevent the motion of the
boat from throwing her off her balance, they attracted attention; the
one so bright, erect, and strong with youth and health, that she seemed
a fit protector for the other, who, in her sweet and gentle
helplessness, leaned upon her so trustingly.

Here Mrs. Jeremy was interrupted by the salutation of Dr. Gryseworth,
who insisted upon giving up his seat to Mrs. Jeremy; and another
gentleman, till now unnoticed by our party, rose, and bowing politely,
placed his own chair for Emily, and walked quickly away. It was the
stranger whom they had seen at breakfast. Gertrude recognised his keen,
dark eye, and his singular hair; and, as she thanked him, and placed
Emily in the seat, she coloured under his earnest glance. But Dr.
Gryseworth soon claimed her attention for the introduction to his
daughters, and all thoughts of the retreating stranger were banished for
the present.

The Misses Gryseworth were intelligent-looking girls; the eldest, lately
returned from Europe, where she had been travelling with her father, was
considered a very elegant and superior person, and Gertrude was charmed
with the lady-like cordiality with which they both made her
acquaintance, and still more with the sympathising attentions which they
paid to Emily. By the time that Dr. Jeremy returned with a chair he
found Gertrude and Dr. Gryseworth comfortably accommodated, and was
thus enabled to sink at once into his seat, and into that state of easy
unconcern which became his pleasant, genial temperament.

Long before the boat reached West Point, where the Jeremys were to land,
an excellent understanding subsisted between Gertrude and the Misses
Gryseworth. They had been about an hour in each other's society, when
Netta Gryseworth, glancing towards another part of the boat, said in an
undertone, "Ellen, do invite Mr. Phillips to come back and be introduced
to Miss Flint!--see how lonesome the poor man looks."

Gertrude followed the direction of Netta's eye, and saw the stranger of
the morning at some distance, slowly pacing up and down, with a serious
and distracted air.

"He has not been near us for an hour," said Netta.

"I hope we have not frightened your friend away," said Gertrude.

"Oh, no, indeed!" replied Ellen. "Although Mr. Phillips is but a recent
acquaintance, we have found him so independent, and sometimes so
whimsical, that I am never astonished at being suddenly forsaken by h