"A very agreeable young man, very," observed Mrs. Gray, giving me shy looks I could not understand; "don't you think so, dear?" "I don't know, Ma'am. I have known--" "Yes, yes," she interrupted, "you have known others quite as agreeable; why, so have I. Once I remember, as a girl, that my sister and I often met in our walks a pleasant old gentleman, whom we called--not knowing his name--Dr. Johnson. Suppose we call this young landscape-painter Claude Lorraine." "Oh, Ma'am! his name is--" "My dear," impatiently interrupted Mrs. Gray, "how should you know his name? did you ask it, or did he tell you?" "Oh no, Ma'am!" "Very well, then, how can you know it?" I saw that Mrs. Gray wanted to keep on the safe side of truth, and, of course, I was glad enough to indulge her. She perceived that I had at length taken the hint, and talked freely of Claude Lorraine, who appeared to have produced a very favourable impression. For the remaining part of the day, and on the whole of the following night, I was restless with joy and hope. Something too appeared to be the matter with Mrs. Gray; for we dined half an hour earlier than usual, and went out the very minute the meal was over. "Where are we going to-day, Ma'am?" I asked. "I think we had better go to the Gardens," she replied carelessly. To the Gardens we at once proceeded. Mrs. Gray sat down on her usual bench, drew forth her book, and told me she thought it would do me good to walk about. I eagerly availed myself of the permission, and ran at once to the fallen tree. Yes, there he sat, and with him, as I had expected, was Kate. She did not say much, but as she took me in her arms and kissed me, I hid my face in her kind bosom, feeling too happy for aught save tears. "Oh, you naughty child!" she said, giving me two or three reproachful kisses; "how could you do it?" "Kate, it was Mrs. Gray--" "Yes, I know; Cornelius has told me all, but I don't care about Mrs. Gray, you are to come with me this very minute." "But Mrs. Gray--" "Nonsense! Mrs. Gray won't break her heart about you; and you don't look well at all." "That is she, coming up to us, Kate." And so it was. Mrs. Gray had got impatient, or perhaps alarmed, and fancied that Claude had carried me off. She was thrown into another flurry on seeing Miss O'Reilly; but Cornelius undertook to bring her round, and succeeded so well that ere long she sat down by Kate, with whom she chatted pleasantly, whilst I and Cornelius walked about. It seemed to me that but a few minutes had thus passed, when came the parting moment, and Mrs. Gray summoned me with a "My dear, is it not time to go?" The following day was Sunday, and on that day we never walked in the Gardens. With many kisses, caresses, and many a pang of secret regret, and many a look behind, I parted from my two friends. They were scarcely out of sight when Mrs. Gray exclaimed--