“In spite of this strange phenomenon, however, the young girl possessed unbounded influence over me. I could not resist her fascinations, and was as wax in her hands. She took a charming interest in all that concerned me; painted the blissful future before us, in all the colors of the rainbow; and declared that the devotion of her whole life would not be sufficient to display ‘her gratitude for my magnanimity in wedding a poor girl who had nothing but her warm love to offer me.’ “‘That is more than enough,’ I said, charmed by her caressing voice. ‘I have few relations, and friends--you are all to me.’ “‘And you to me!’ she said. Then she added, with a sort of shudder, ‘but suppose you were to die!’ “I laughed, and replied:-- “‘You would be well provided for, and find yourself a gay young widow with hundreds of beaux?’ “She looked at me reproachfully. “‘Do you think I would ever marry again?’ she said. ‘No! I would take our marriage ring, and some little souvenir connected with you, leave your fine house, and go with my brother to some poor home in a foreign country, where the memory of our past happiness would be my solace!’ “I shook my head. “‘You will not do that,’ I said, ‘you will be the mistress of all my fortune, after my death!’ “‘Oh, no!’ she exclaimed. “‘Oh, yes!’ I responded, laughing; ‘and, to make every thing certain, I am going to draw up my will this very day, leaving you every thing which I possess in the world.’ “Her face suddenly flushed. “‘How can you think of such a thing!’ she said. ‘I did not know how much you loved me!’ “You will understand, my dear Surry, that those words did not change my resolution. When I left her I went home, and wrote the will in due form, and on my next visit she asked, laughing, if I had carried out my absurd resolution. “‘Yes,’ I said, ‘and now let us talk of a more interesting affair--our marriage!’ “She blushed, then turned pale, and again I saw the strange lurid glance. It disappeared, however, in an instant, and she was all smiles and fascinations throughout the remainder of the day. Never had I been so happy.” XVIII. THE MARRIAGE. “As the day of our marriage approached,” continued Mohun, “I saw more than once the same singular expression in the lady’s eyes, and I confess it chilled me. “She seemed to be the prey to singular moods, and fits of silence. She took more frequent and longer walks with Mortimer than before. When they returned from these walks and found me awaiting them at the parsonage, both would look at me in the strangest way, only to quickly withdraw their eyes when they caught my own fixed upon them.