Evan gave the butler a couple of cards and turned away. He felt quite startled to find that Sir Paget and his bride were resident at Maviswood, and thought that he could not get away from the vicinity of the house too soon. Proceeding down the avenue, he passed a narrow, diverging path between high old holly-hedges, the vista of which was closed by a belvidere, or species of pillared alcove, built upon a grassy knoll, and therein, as if in a shrine, stood Eveline. To pass was impossible. For a moment he stood rooted to the spot, and then, as one in a dream, approached her. To meet her face to face thus, was like something of a dreadful shock to both now. Eveline was deadly pale and trembling, while her graceful figure looked very slight and girlish in her fresh cambric costume and gipsy hat. At the very moment of their meeting there, her mind had been full of him. How had poor Evan borne the tidings of her marriage, and with it the total destruction of their mutual wishes?--mutual hopes they had none. She had often pondered on this, and wondered how he had heard it, who had told him of it, or if he had seen it in the papers, and how he looked when the sad tidings came. Of the cruel mockery of sending him wedding-cards she knew nothing. Was he striving to forget er? perhaps learning to hate her--oh, not that!--to despise her? nor that, if he knew all. But they were nothing to each other now, and never could be anything more. Anon would come other thoughts that were perilous to a young and enthusiastic girl. Evan Cameron had given himself to her with all his heart, and with all his soul, and he loved her with all the strength of both; and now--now, with another man's wedding-ring upon her finger, she felt unprepared to relinquish that love, for she could not doubt that it must still exist, though he had been cruelly and selfishly treated. And while all these thoughts had been coursing through her brain he came suddenly before her. 'I pray that he may soon forget me--poor Evan!' had been her frequent thought. 'Why should he think of me more, when he knows of my marriage, and must deem me a pitiful creature.' Each caught their breath, each clasped their hands as if in mute misery, and the eyes of both were strained, as if the pain of recognition was mingled with the peril of the situation. Evan thought how pale and transfigured looked the soft face of his lost love! 'I knew not that you where here--I came to visit your father--we march tomorrow--and--and----' Evan paused breathlessly, though his voice seemed to thrill with passion, and his lips, when they touched her hands--even the hand with the obnoxious wedding-hoop--trembled and quivered like those of a girl. 'Evan,' she said, softly, 'Evan!'