When Alaric first came down, which he did in the middle of the week, she was, as she told her mother, too weak to stand in his presence.

Her mother strongly advised her not to absent herself; so she sat gently by, while he kissed Mrs.Woodward and Katie.

She sat and trembled, for her turn she knew must come.

It did come; Alaric, with an assurance which told more for his courage than for his heart, came up to her, and with a smiling face offered her his hand.

She rose up and muttered some words which she had prepared for the occasion, and he, still holding her by the hand, stooped down and kissed her cheek.