m--no one save him?" said Emma, thoughtfully.

"Who can do it so well as yourself?" said her uncle. "Is he not one of
the worshipers at your shrine? Of what avail is it to be young and
beautiful and wealthy, if the influence such accidents give be not
employed in the cause of truth and virtue?"

Emma did not reply, and her uncle left the room, where she remained a
long time in deep thought, roused and startled by the new ideas
presented to her mind, for giddy and thoughtless as she seemed, she
possessed a mind and heart capable of deep feeling and energetic
action.

The same evening she was seated by the piano, drawing thence a flood
of melody, while her Cousin Edward and George Saville stood beside
her. But the attention of the latter seemed more absorbed by the fair
musician than by the sweet sounds produced by her flying fingers; and
directing his companion's attention to the soft brown hair that fell
in long, shining ringlets around her pure brow, and over her snowy
neck, he said, in a tone intended to reach his ear alone,

"What would you give to possess one of those curls?"

Low as were the words, Emma heard them, and pausing suddenly, said,
"What would _you_ give?"

"Any thing--every thing," said the young man, eagerly.

"Would you give your liberty--would you bind yourself to do my
bidding?" asked the maiden, in a tone in which playful gayety strove
to hide a deeper feeling.

"The liberty to disobey your will, lady, has long been lost," replied
Saville, with a glance that well-nigh destroyed Emma's
self-possession. "It were a small matter to acknowledge it by my vow."

"On that condition it is yours," said Emma, while the rich blush that
mantled cheek and brow, made her more beautiful than ever as she
severed from her queenly head one of the longest of the luxurient
tresses with which nature had adorned it.

"Ma belle Emma," interposed Edward as she did this, "I cannot allow of
such partiality. Let me take the oath of allegiance and gain an equal
prize."

"Will you dare?" replied Emma, gayly. "Will you bow your haughty
spirit to do my bidding? Beware, for when you have vowed, you are
completely in my power."

"And a very tyrant you will be, no doubt, fair queen, yet I accept the
vow. Royalty needs new disciples when there are so many deserters."

"Kneel, then, Cousin Edward, and you also, Mr. Saville, and rise
Knights of the Ringlet, bound to serve in all things the will of your
sovereign lady."