Page:Lindigo.djvu/28

28 Mr. McKay was greatly disappointed and amazed at young people in these days, how little they cared about such amusements, and added "that his own daughter manifested the same indifference about going, and which he feared would be the case, having depended on Mr. Stuart bringing her in his carriage on that day, as he himself would be early at the Castle conducting the arrangements, and not wishing to bring his daughter that early."

Mr. Stuart and his son sought each others looks, when the elder remarked, "that he would certainly consent, for Bella's sake," which admission greatly pleased their neighbour, who left in far better spirits than he expected, at the satisfactory termination of his mission.

That evening Bella McKay, as was her wont lately, sat at the window of her room, with an elbow resting on the sill, and her delicate white hand supporting her transparent brow, with her eyes fixed on some object opposite. A great change had taken place within a few days in the looks and manner of the charming girl.

The rosy, laughing young creature, whose buoyant spirits were the theme of everyone, was now changed into the pale and thoughtful woman, Mary Grant's lively chatter was unable to rouse her pensive young mistress, or divert her thoughts from the one object which haunted her mind. Charlie Stuart's despairing and endearing words—"Bella, dear, live for me!"—were still ringing in her ears.

Strong, indeed, must be the feelings, she thought, which prompted her former shy and modest playfellow to give utterance to such expressions. She wondered at her own blindness in not discovering before now his many noble qualities, and handsome and manly person. Her father's remarks concerning him—"That he was grown to be the handsomest young man in the country"—opened her eyes, and revealed all his superior qualities, and instilled through her pleasant and delightful sensations, which gave her new life.

The object of her gaze and reverie was no less affected with the malady which had taken possession of herself. Ever since that eventful morning, his gun, fishing-rod,