She kissed Daisie, and went away smilingly, for Annette’s disposition was bright and sunny; besides, wasn’t her own dear lover coming to see her to-day? And what more could a pretty girl want to make her happy? As she did not know at what hour he might arrive, she told her mamma that if he came while she was absent, to ask him to wait till she returned. And, by a very untoward fate, the big, handsome fellow arrived soon after she started, and when Mamma Janowitz told him where Annette had gone, he said he would go on and overtake her, as he also was acquainted with Mrs. Fleming, and would like to make a call at Sea View. Meanwhile, Annette, all glorious in her new summer silk and big white lace hat crowning her dark, bewitching face, tripped away to the grand white house, Sea View, only to meet a most cruel disappointment. The manservant who opened the door to her suavely remarked that Mrs. Fleming and her guests all went up to Baltimore this morning, not to return till to-morrow. “And Mr. Dallas Bain--did he go with them?” she queried. “Oh, no, miss; he went away at daylight this morning--took the Northern train.” Annette paled with disappointment, and almost burst into tears, as she asked eagerly: “Is he coming back any more?” “No, miss; his visit is over, and I’m sorry for that, too. He was a fine, handsome gent, was Mr. Bain, and a liberal one, too,” returned the man affably. “Where did he go? Can you give me his address?” asked the young girl, thinking disconsolately of poor Daisie’s letter. The man replied that he did not know for certain. He thought he had gone to New York to join Mr. Sherwood. So Annette went down the steps, after leaving her card for Mrs. Fleming, and her young heart was very heavy as she walked toward a vine-wreathed arbor in the grounds, thinking she would rest there a while before starting on the long walk home. And just as she entered the beautiful rose bower her betrothed, Ray Dering, came in at the street gate and saw her going in. His heart thrilled with joy, and he resolved to slip up unawares and give his darling sweetheart a most charming surprise. But Letty Green, Mrs. Fleming’s sharp little maid, had overheard Annette’s conversation at the door, and, having more than her share of feminine curiosity, she resolved to find out something more about Annette’s interest in Mr. Bain, thinking it might be a nice bit of gossip to tell her mistress while she was dressing her hair that night, and perhaps be the means of her getting a cast-off silk gown. So she ran breathlessly after Annette, and rushed into the arbor, exclaiming: “Did you want to know Mr. Bain’s address so very bad, miss?” Annette turned, and saw such a kind, sympathetic face that she clasped her little hands dramatically, saying: