Absorbed in his task he did not see me, and I stood mute within a few paces of him, looking at him with my flowers in my hand. Through the trees behind me the sun streamed in a few bright rays, that sent my lengthened shadow on the grass. Cornelius saw it and looked up; the pencil dropped from his hand and he turned very pale. Had he moved, or had I? I know not, but the next moment I was locked in his embrace. What I said or did, I cannot tell; he kissed me again and again with many an endearing epithet. For some time neither spoke. "Oh, my poor lost lamb!" he said, as I lay clasped in his arms too happy for speech, "where have you been all this time?" "I have been at Mrs. Gray's; how is Kate?" "She is well, but unhappy about you. Who is Mrs. Gray? Where does she live? Is she kind? Why are you so pale?" "I am not well; I take physic every morning; Mrs. Gray is very kind; she lives in Auckland Square, number three." "I know the place; but why, you naughty child, did you not write to let us know where you were?" "Mrs. Gray would not let me. I wrote to Mr. Thornton, and he never answered; but Mrs. Gray was very kind; once she went to Parkins, and found out that you and Kate were quite well, and another time she took me to the Grove, and I saw you both through the open window; it was in the evening; you sang the 'Exile of Erin;' I stood with Mrs. Gray listening on the other side of the street." "And you never even came to the door?" "Mrs. Gray would not have allowed it; besides--" "Well, what is it?" "You know," I replied, shunning his look, "what you said to me before I went to Miss Clapperton's." He did not answer, but when I again looked at him, the glow my words had called up had not left his face. "You are not here alone?" he observed after an embarrassed pause. "Oh no! Mrs. Gray is sitting on one of the benches there beyond. Do you want to speak to her?" "Of course I do," he replied, chucking my chin in his old way. He took my hand, picked up his sketch-book and drawing materials, and walked with me to where Mrs. Gray sat. She was absorbed in the catastrophe of a third volume, which she nearly dropped, as she saw me appear before her, holding the hand of Cornelius. At first she was quite agitated, but the free and easy manner of the young man soon restored her composure. He did his best to render himself agreeable, and carefully shunned every allusion that could alarm her. I had seen him give her two or three keen looks as if to read her character, before he entered into conversation, after which he went on like one master of his subject. He talked pleasantly for about half an hour, then left us: as I kissed him, my lips opened to ask when we should meet again, but his look checked me. I saw him take the direction that led to the Grove, and my eyes followed him until he was out of sight.