"A belt of straw and ivy buds,
With coral clasps and amber studs:
And if these pleasures may thee move,
Come live with me and be my love."

As the song ended, little Martha came forth from the throng, and
holding in her hand a small crook, went round with a very laughing
face asking charity from the applauding company.

"Only a penny, sir!" she said, motioning back a pistole which Mr. Jack
Denis held out gaily.

And then--the collection ended--the young girls of the masquerade
hurried back to rid themselves of their pyramid.

Mr. Jack Denis and Miss Lucy Mowbray, who had just arrived with her
brother, bent their steps toward the grove, through which ran a
purling stream; and thither they were followed after a little by Miss
Martha Wayles and her admirer, Bathurst. We cannot follow them and
listen to their conversation--that would be indecorous. But we may be
permitted to say that two young ladies--one very young--on that
morning plighted their troth to two young gentlemen--one very young.
And if they blushed somewhat upon returning, it was an honest blush,
which the present chronicler for one will not laugh at.

In the garden all by this time was joyous and wild merriment. The
young ladies were running here and there; servants were preparing in a
flowery retreat a long table full of fruits and every delicacy; and
merriest of all, Miss Philippa was scattering on every side her joyous
and contagious laughter.

Suddenly this laughter of the young lady ceased, and she colored
slightly.

She saw Mowbray looking at her with a glance of so much love, that she
could not support his gaze.

In a moment he was at her side. "Will you not walk with me?" she said,
without waiting for him to address her; and in a moment her arm was in
his own, and they were strolling away. They went toward a noble old
oak, in the branches of which was fixed a platform, and this platform
was approached by a movable sort of ladder. The leaves around the
platform were so dense that it was impossible to see any one who might
be sitting within.

As Mowbray and Philippa approached, the ladder was seen suddenly to
move, a little exclamation was heard, and the next moment the movable
steps rose erect, balanced themselves for an instant, and fell to the
ground, cutting off all connection between the platform and the
ground.

At the same moment a triumphant voice muttered:

"Now let me see them interrupt me!"

Mowbray and