s some
moments before he summoned courage to reply.

"My fair cousin," said he, "those were happy days; but they were the
days of childhood. New cares and new thoughts have now come on us.
But I am still thy friend, Leoline, and still thou wilt confide in me
thy young sorrows and thy young hopes as thou ever didst. Wilt thou
not, Leoline?"

"Canst thou ask me?" said Leoline; and Warbeck, gazing on her face, saw
that though her eyes were full of tears, they yet looked steadily upon
his; and he knew that she loved him only as a sister.

He sighed, and paused again ere he resumed. "Enough," said he; "now to
my task. Once on a time, dear cousin, there lived among these
mountains a certain chief who had two sons, and an orphan like thyself
dwelt also in his halls. And the elder son--but no matter, let us not
waste words on him!--the younger son, then, loved the orphan
dearly--more dearly than cousins love; and fearful of refusal, he
prayed the elder one to urge his suit to the orphan. Leoline, my tale
is done. Canst thou not love Otho as he loves thee?"

And now lifting his eyes to Leoline, he saw that she trembled
violently, and her cheek was covered with blushes.

"Say," continued he, mastering himself; "is not that flower (his
present) a token that he is chiefly in thy thoughts?"

"Ah, Warbeck! do not deem me ungrateful that I wear not yours also:
but--"

"Hush;" said Warbeck, hastily; "I am but as thy brother; is not Otho
more? He is young, brave, and beautiful. God grant that he may
deserve thee, if thou givest him so rich a gift as thy affections."

"I saw less of Otho in my childhood," said Leoline, evasively;
"therefore, his kindness of late years seemed stranger to me than
thine."

"And thou wilt not then reject him? Thou wilt be his bride?"

"And thy sister," answered Leoline.

"Bless thee, mine own dear cousin! one brother's kiss then, and
farewell! Otho shall thank thee for himself."

He kissed her forehead calmly, and, turning away, plunged into the
thicket; then, nor till then, he gave vent to such emotions as, had
Leoline seen them, Otho's suit had been lost for ever; for
passionately, deeply as in her fond and innocent heart she loved Otho,
the happiness of Warbeck was not less dear to her.

When the young knight had recovered his self-possession he went in
search of Otho. He found him alone in the wood, leaning with folded
arms against a tree, and gazing moodily on the ground. W