Wych Hazel

l to make a grand toilette, sir? or shall I go to the table as I am? I

; 'they are going another way, and we have to wait he

't dine upon the

r latched behind him. In a quarter of an hour

ried ham,' he said,-'and that not of the most eatable, I fe

I find that the bridge is not on our road, after all. So I said it was not wor

wh

sort of a baggage wagon-as the roads are heavy-not to s

ed Mr. Falkirk, who

iss Hazel, seating

y, your one trunk

has i

d of making the stage top heavy-the we

ean, to C

airing glance from the dish of ham to a yellow haired lassie in a blue gown, who just then brought in a pitcher of

sulted me, Miss Haze

time to go up t

' was Miss Haze

is good for you. I shall s

the Mountain House till we go ourselves. We will go f

t out one day,' mu

nd then I said I was going to Catskill,-and then you're the best guardian in

Falkirk in a cynical manner. 'But eat your din

to care himself, for there was no

made many and divers overtures to that effect. His elegance of person and costume was advantageously displayed in an opposite corner, from whence he distributed civilities as occasion offered. His book and his magazine were placed at the brown veil's disposal; he stopped the coach to buy cherries from a wayside farm, which cherries were in like manner laid at Wych Hazel's feet; and his observations on the topics that were available, demonstrated all his stores of wit and wisdom equa

thing to be borne. And that swinging and swaying middle seat, with its one occupant came so close upon her premises, that she dared not adventure the least thing, even to Mr. Falkirk. If the momentary relief of turning that grey travelling shawl into a pincushion, occurred to her, nothing came of it; the thick folds were untouched by one of her little fingers. She put her face as nearly out of the coach as she could, and perhaps enjoyed the scenery, if anyone did. Mr. Falkirk gave no sign of enjoyment, mental or physical, and Mr. Kingsland would certainly have been asleep, but for losing sight of the brown veil-and of possible something it might do. Yet now and then there were fine reaches for the eye, beautiful knolly indications of a change of surface, which gave picturesque lights and shades on their soft green. Or a lonely valley, with smooth fields and labourers at work, tufty clumps of vegetation, and a line of soft willows by a watercourse, varied the picture. Then the ascent began in good earnest, and trees shut it in, and there was everywhere the wild leafy smell of the woods. Night began to shut it in too, for the sun was early hidden from the travellers; the gloom, or the fatigue of the way, gathered inside the

one to sleep; Mr. Kingsland was absolutely beyond reach, except of rather thorny wishes; and when at length the dilettante cigar perfumes began to assert themselves, Wych Hazel flung the rest of her patience straight out of the window, and looked after it. The coach was stopping just then by another wayside inn, to exchange mail-bags and water the horses, and favoured by the gathering dusk, a sharp business transaction at once

got there?' h

of whisk

g?' was the next demand, mad

hiskers not be

f the whiskers aforesaid suggested sundry earnest and energetic efforts at escape, with demonstrations that called up Miss Hazel from the quietude of her corner to be earnest and active in her turn. Frightened, not sure of the kind attentions of the little hands t

'please open your heart

, rather low, from the other side of

ave cost poor Miss Hazel her life; as it was, he only said, 'Can you cut a broom-

yss; the flutter of leaves told that the forest was all around them always. The irregular traveller had re-entered the coach and sat among his shawls as still as the rest of the party; who perhaps were all slumbering as well as the kitten. It appeared so; for when that small individual started to consciousness and consequent alarm again, and was making an excursion among the feet of the gentlemen on the coach floor, its aroused mistress was only aroused in time to hear a consolatory whisper from one of her companions-'Poor little Kathleen Mavourneen, by what misfortune did you get in

le and veil, Wych Hazel passed on through the ga

'I want my tea up stairs, please

'so my dear sir, you've brought Miss Kennedy! At last!-Now for candid