Her extreme agitation created in her friends no little alarm, but it soon passed off, and as they could not but observe that any futher allusion to the matter was annoying to her, the brother and sister exchanged expressive glances which, being interpreted, signified, "resolved that the subject be indefinitely postponed." But it was again mooted on the first occasion of the absence of their guest; Miss Marsden being the first to bring it under consideration. "O, it was only fatigue," said her brother, in reply to her various surmises. "No, it was not fatigue," she insisted with an arch smile. "It is my opinion she was laboring under some powerful emotion. I once saw her almost as much agitated in one of our school exhibitions, in which she was to act a prominent part; but she went through it splendidly, the determined little thing." "O well, it might have been excess of joy at meeting you." "At meeting _me_, do you say, sir? Now brother, don't try to crawl out of it, for I have determined to extort the truth from you. Was she not overjoyed at meeting _you_?" "Well, then, my dear sister, the truth is, I think not. You must have noticed she takes special pains to address me as brother, and always to treat me as such, and you young ladies rarely faint at the sight of a brother." "O, but you are only an adopted brother,"--slyly. "That's all," sighed the young man. "I think her father's death has changed her a little. She appears more thoughtful and womanly: don't she brother?" "I wouldn't be surprised if she were in love," suggested the other. "O fie, brother, she's not in love, unless it be with you; or she would have confided it to me. Moreover," she continued, seeing an incredulous smile playing upon her brother's lips, "you must yourself admit that it would be a very strange freak for a young lady in love to voluntarily put the ocean between herself and the object of her affections. I verily believe our Little Wolf is more anxious if possible, to start on the tour than we are." "Yes, so do I," admitted her brother, "and I can't account for it." "O, it is simply to run away from Mr. Alfred Marsden," was the ironic reply. "I do assure you, sister, that you greatly mistake our mutual sentiments." "Not yours, certainly, brother, and I think not hers; but I'll find out." "For Heaven's sake, don't broach the matter to her, sister," said young Marsden in alarm, "It would spoil all the pleasure of our trip. Indeed, I know she would not go at all." "Nonsense, brother, do you think me a goose? I would not be so indelicate; no indeed. There are more ways than you have dreamed of, for ferreting out a love secret." "O yes, I know such secrets develope themselves in a thousand forms, and if there is anything of that nature in her breast it will transpire in due time." "It was not long before the young man's prediction came near proving true, and thus it happened.