(Continued from page 31.) CHAPTER II. BY FAIRY FAY. suming girls-wiled away the time at the piano, or in playing chess. Young Howard pored over the newspaper as usual, or arranged the worsteds for the fair Laura, who, anticipating some rainy days at the Springs, had brought her work with her. Miss Stanbrook, the life of the party, sometimes played or sung; read stories from the magazines; but oftener drew a charmed circle of adorers around her, while she expatiated upon the faults and follies of the "would-be" aristocracy. Miss Stanbrook was a wit, and she knew it; at the same time she determined that her light should not be hid under a bushel, but that others should see and appreciate it. Her sarcasms were readily laughed at so long as they touched not the amour propre of the individuals with whom she might be conversing. All are ready enough to see the follies. of their neighbors-few are sensible of their THE next day was a rainy one, and to most of the company this was a sad disappointment; so many pleasant excursions had been planned the night before; and now all must be given up, and they were to be confined to a dull hotel, and thrown upon their own resources for amusement. To those who loved quiet, reading, or rational conversation, time did not pass so heavily. Beaumont groaned in spirit that he could not display his horsemanship to the admiring eyes of Cornelia Stanbrook; Miss Lavinia Thompson declared she could not eat her breakfast without drinking one glass of mineral water directly from the spring; and the Misses Beaumont could not keep their hair in curl, it was so dreadful damp. "Trifles light as air," are to fashionable belles serious evils, when coming in competition either with their whims or their vanity. Miss Mellen, the elder, reclined in an old arm-chair, reading, or pretending to read, an old volume of Bacon's Essays. She would not, on any account, be seen with any work in her hands that did not produce some philosophical reflections; and Miss Corrinna Mellen bent gracefully over "Sartor Resartus," though she acknowledged, that after reading it for the tenth time, she was still unable to comprehend its meaning. Shether her young friend was indisposed, that "did wish that authors were more explicit! they were not favored with her company. The doctor' had puzzled her enough-but Carlyle puzzled her more." own. And where was Miss Laurence? No one seemed to miss her; no one inquired for her except Frederick Howard, whose quick eye had detected her absence immediately after breakfast, and missed the bright happy face and the dark brilliant eye which had so charmed him the preceding evening. He ventured to inquire, though with a slight tinge of color and rather hesitating voice, of Cornelia, whe "No great favor to any one, I imagine,” replied Cornelia, "since Inez is always too much The Misses Lindsay-pretty, modest, unas- in the clouds to condescend, on such a dull day as this, to descend from her airy flight to be agreeable to you poor mortals; and not indisposed either, if we may judge by her thorough contempt for storms and tempests, since, spite of Boreas, and the deluge he brings, the young lady was off upon a romantic promenade this morning at six o'clock, while Laura and myself were quietly dreaming 'Of a seat on a sofa And a glass of nice mull'd wine.' But to keep you no longer in suspense, for I see you are anxious to act the part of a physician, and give your advice to the patient in question, (considering it a case of lunacy,) I am really of opinion that Miss Inez Laurence is at this moment in solitary confinement, inditing letters to a friend in New-York, about as romantic, sensible, and book-mad as herself. I really believe Inez could not exist a whole day without writing something." "And I wish you also would make a practice of it, my dear girl," said Colonel Stanbrook, patting Cornelia's cheek. "It improves the mind; and I do not know a more desirable accomplishment in a young lady, than being able to write an elegant and interesting letter." heart at once with unusual interest. Miss Lindsay was singing; and Inez, ever alive to the influence of sweet sounds, stood with her finger on her lip, at the piano, frequently turning her sparkling eyes upon the noisy group in the corner, as if to elicit their admiration. Howard could not help reflecting upon the unaffected good-nature evinced by this act, as Inez had informed him that she had no voice for singing herself, and it appeared more out of consideration to the performer warbling to inattentive ears, that she persisted in retaining her position until the song was finished-spite of the signs made by Laura for her to join their circle; or the evil eye of Beaumont, whose whole aim appeared to ridicule her in the eyes of Howard. Look, how she loves to make herself conspicuous," said the beau aside to Howard. "She is conscious that she possesses a graceful form, and delights in exhibiting it to advantage. Look with what an attitude she bends over that music-book and turns the leaves—and now she leans upon the instrument, and turns her soul-illumined eyes upon the singer, then upon the listeners. How she aims at effect in all she does!" Mortimer felt indignant at this unjust aspersion, especially as Cornelia laughed at it, and rising from his seat, to the imminent danger of Laura's worsteds, he walked to the piano. Inez looked up, slightly bowed in answer to his salutation, and then resumed her "O, I shall wait until I visit Europe," said Cornelia, laughing; "and then you shall have folios from guide-books, travels, and occasionally a line or two original. I shall take special care to have enough of the ridiculous to make you laugh; enough of the satirical to make you frown; and plenty of the gloomy and hor-position-utterly unconscious of her graceful rible to give you a long face." "I have no doubt that Miss Stanbrook would write very interesting letters from Europe very!" ejaculated Mr. Beaumont; "and I hope she will have the pleasure of visiting it for that very purpose." So saying, he leaned his elbow on the piano, and looked significantly at Cornelia, as if to intimate that he should like to be her escort on that momentous occasion. Miss Stanbrook moved away, muttering something in which the word "bore" reached the ears of Howard; but at this moment he caught sight of the beautiful form of Inez, gliding quietly into the room, so far from having lost any of her brightness or bloom from the late hours and fatigue of the preceding evening, or from her ramble on a rainy morning, looking more lovely than ever, in her simple morning costume; while the beams of the soul irradiating her countenance gave a charm to features, if not regularly fine as those of Laura, or dignied and bold, like Cornelia, yet touching the attitude, or the remarks it called forth "I dearly love music," said she; "although I have none upon my lips, I have much in my heart, and if I were inclined to envy any one a particular talent, it would be that." "How modest you are, Inez," said Cornelia Stanbrook. "She says she has no music on her lips, Mr. Howard, and yet a friend of ours has been so often charmed with the magic tones of her voice, as she read or repeated a fine passage in poetry or prose, that he declared it afforded him more pleasure than the most splendid piece of music he ever heard.” As Cornelia spoke, she cast a glance of peculiar meaning upon Inez, whose countenance, to the surprise of Howard, became at first crimson and then deadly pale. She retreated from the piano to a recess, and taking up a book that lay upon the table appeared to be absorbed in its contents, although it was plain to see that her agitation was not over. Howard instantly followed her, and taking the vacant |