Agnes, Chapters VI-X [pp. 420-433]

1863. Agne
hlour, looking for you-looking at you-arid
never recognized you'till I looked into
those sweet eyes:
"I was very jealous and silly then, D)r.
Selman, but have put away all childish
things since I have become what Jimn calls
'a sure nuff young lady.'
" Poor Jim! He was delighted to see
me, Agnes; had real hysteric- from joy
more glad than you, ungrateful girl."
"'For the heart feels most when the lips
Agnes blushed and smiled.
" You have learnt how to flatter grace fully amongst your otter foreign accom plishments, Dr? Selman. I muses not for get your new dignity, you know, but I am
very glad to feel that I hleave not lost my
cousin Robert in the travelled and elegant
young M.D."
"Alwgrays Robert to you, little one, though
1 really scarcely dare to use silch old fa mriliar terms to the dazzling young lady
beside me. How have you made yourself
such a beauty, Agnes? I believe thiere is
some witchl-craft about it. It is not an
Armii.a or snowy Florimel I have sitting
here by lily side, is it.?"
enC,ily your plain little Agnes; not much
wiser than she was when you left her,
Robert, as you could readily see by her
letters."
"I always found wisdom in Agnes' let ters, but I doubt whether I shall be able
to retain much in my own brain in her in toxicating presence. Have you found a
fairy god-mothler, who has turned my pale,
delicate little cousin into this magnificent
princess? Did she feed you on nighltin gale's tongues to make you sing so? Do
you know you drew tears to my worldly
eyes, and those of the respectable gentle man who held up the opposite post of my
door-way."
-i Oh, Mr. Murray, you mean! He has
otten heard me sing before."
"LMurray! So that's his name. Well,
from his expression of absorbing admiration I expect I'll have to combat a l'ona
trance with him for your smiles, which I
consider belong to me by right of pre-emption, Agnes."
"Have you seen your old sweet-heart,
Clara Bell?" replied Agnes.
mwOh, ye s! Knew her instantly, and
heard her'sing."
Robert laughed mischievously: " How
fortd Phil Mathews is of her music." ~
"Not morally benefited, Dr. Selhnan, by
your protracted residence abroad. Still
somewhat malicious, I see."
said Agnes, turnaing to him and raising her
beautiful eyes to his face.
Robert bent towards her. Her glance
was the tender, loving look of a sister, but
his eyes expressed deep, burning, passionate admiration; such a look as a man
bends on the woman lie loves above all
others. Agnes' eyes fell-the bright color
suffused itself over cheek and brow-even
her snowy neck was crimson fronl the rush
9f conflicting feeling. She attempted instinctively to draw her imprisoned hand
from his grasp, but vainly-he only clasped
it closer.
"But you have not told me yet of your
voyage, and how you tot home, and how
you managed to prevail on Aunt Eleanor
to s pare you to-night." "All of which weighty m atters shall be
fully discussed in due order. Bu t first al l ow me t o cla sp that bracele t o n your arm?
I see you hold it still."
He took the bracelet from her hand as
he spoke! It was a broad band of linked
gold, the clasp large an(d studded with
rubies. Robert looked at it.
"A p retty trinket," he said, and pro ceetded to faste n it on her arm, when lie
accidentall y touched a hididen spring, the
top of the clasp flew open, and he saw a
miniature of himself. He looked quickly
in Agnes' face. She bl)ushed, took off the
bracelet, and laid it on -his hand, saying,
as she did so:
"I painted it myself, from the daguerreotype you sent Aunt Eleanor last year."
"Thanks, cousin mine! now let me re.
place it." Robert's eyes gleamed as he
clasped it on the rounded arm-reposses.
sed himself of the dainty little hand,.and
-begun his history.
1863.]
Agnes.
425
11 Agn-es, did you ever apologize to me
for burning the bouquet I fixed for lier" before I I eft?"
0
'Still the sweetest eter seen."',
move not,
And the eye speaks a welcome 1-iome,"'