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98 them, her spirits calmed, and she went to seek their further relief by a walk in her favourite garden. There it was true she had once met Melliphant; but conceiving it to be accidental, that no further intrusion would molest her, with a light foot she bounded along the winding path, where, on either side the box, the variegated holly and luxuriant laurustinus profusely clustered. Her eye wandering round through the intermixture of beds and branches, she beheld somebody on the opposite side walking leisurely along. The gait and figure resembled Sir Howard; could it really be he? she was persuaded he was not in the habit of frequenting the gardens; she had never seen him there.

Nevertheless the object she beheld was truly Sir Howard; he had purposely traced her, and supposing himself unnoticed, he sought an opportunity for joining her. Her heart fluttered like the timid fawn aroused by the enemy in view; she would have flown, but knew not where to fly. She stood for a moment still, concealed by the thickly interwoven shrubs, that for the purpose seemed to offer their timely aid; but in the next moment, the better, as she hoped, to elude discovery, she gave to her steps the speed of wings, and made a circuit round the more retired part of the garden.

Breathless with agitation, she had reached the gate, when, suddenly springing from behind her, Sir Howard advanced to open it; she returned his obsequious bow by a distant courtesy; she passed him,