party reached the
crest of the crouching lion, which, seen from the west, Arthur's Seat so
much resembles. There, all four seated themselves; and James Starr, ever
ready with quotations from the great Scottish novelist, simply said,
"Listen to what is written by Sir Walter Scott in the eighth chapter
of the Heart of Mid-Lothian. 'If I were to choose a spot from which the
rising or setting sun could be seen to the greatest possible advantage,
it would be from this neighborhood.' Now watch, Nell! the sun will soon
appear, and for the first time you will contemplate its splendor."

The maiden turned her eyes eastward. Harry, keeping close beside
her, observed her with anxious interest. Would the first beams of day
overpower her feelings? All remained quiet, even Jack Ryan. A faint
streak of pale rose tinted the light vapors of the horizon. It was the
first ray of light attacking the laggards of the night. Beneath the hill
lay the silent city, massed confusedly in the twilight of dawn. Here and
there lights twinkled among the houses of the old town. Westward rose
many hill-tops, soon to be illuminated by tips of fire.

Now the distant horizon of the sea became more plainly visible. The
scale of colors fell into the order of the solar. Every instant they
increased in intensity, rose color became red, red became fiery,
daylight dawned. Nell now glanced towards the city, of which the
outlines became more distinct. Lofty monuments, slender steeples emerged
from the gloom; a kind of ashy light was spread abroad. At length one
solitary ray struck on the maiden's sight. It was that ray of green
which, morning or evening, is reflected upwards from the sea when the
horizon is clear.

An instant afterwards, Nell turned, and pointing towards a bright
prominent point in the New Town, "Fire!" cried she.

"No, Nell, that is no fire," said Harry. "The sun has touched with gold
the top of Sir Walter Scott's monument"--and, indeed, the extreme point
of the monument blazed like the light of a pharos.

It was day--the sun arose--his disc seemed to glitter as though he
indeed emerged from the waters of the sea. Appearing at first very large
from the effects of refraction, he contracted as he rose and assumed the
perfectly circular form. Soon no eye could endure the dazzling splendor;
it was as though the mouth of a furnace was opened through the sky.

Nell closed her eyes, but her eyelids could not exclude the glare, and
she pressed her