His heart paused--it beat violently--still the figure advanced.

Lost in the wilderness of his imagination, he exclaimed, "Marion!" and darted forward, as if to rush into her embrace.

But it fled, and again vanished.

He dropped upon the ground in speechless disappointment.
"'Tis false!" cried he, recovering from his first expectation; "'tis a phantom of my own creating.

The pure spirit of Marion would never fly from me; I loved her too well.