s are those most ready to fall in love with any body--and no
woman is so hard to interest as she who never had a vision, and
consequently sees men just as they are; and so if Angila talked
nonsense, Mrs. Mervale's sense was not much wiser.

Angila was a pretty, playful, romantic girl, rather intolerant of the
people she did not like, and enthusiastic about those she did; full of
life and animation, she was a decided belle in the gay circle in
which she moved.

Miss Lenox was her dearest friend for the time being, and the proposed
separation for the next six months was looked upon as a cruel
affliction, only to be softened by the most frequent and confidential
correspondence.

For the first few weeks of Augusta's absence, the promises exchanged
on both sides were vehemently fulfilled. Letters were written two or
three limes a week, detailing every minute circumstance that happened
to either. But at the end of that time Angila was at a party where she
met Robert Hazlewood, who talked to her for some time. It was not a
dancing party, and consequently they conversed together more than they
had ever done before. He seemed extremely amused with her liveliness,
and looked at her with unmistakable admiration. Had Augusta Lenox been
there to see, perhaps Angila would not have received his attentions so
graciously; but there being nothing to remind her of his being her
"favorite aversion," she talked with animation, pleased with the
admiration she excited, without being annoyed by any inconvenient
reminiscences. And not only was Miss Lenox absent, but Miss Morton was
present, and Angila thought she looked over at them a little
anxiously; so that a little spirit of rivalry heightened, if not her
pleasure, certainly Hazlewood's consequence in her eyes. Girls are
often much influenced by each other in these matters--and the absence
of Miss Lenox, who "did not think much of Robert Hazlewood," with the
presence of Miss Morton who did, had no small influence in Angila's
future fate.

"Did you have a pleasant party?" asked Mrs. Mervale, who had not been
with her daughter the evening before.

"Yes, very pleasant," replied Angila; "one of the pleasantest
'conversation parties' I have ever been at."

And "who was there--and who did you talk to?" were the next questions,
which launched Angila in a full length description of every thing and
every body--and among them figured quite conspicuously Robert
Hazlewood.

"And you found him