his long meerschaum pipe in the direction of the road below us.

We gazed eagerly in the quarter thus indicated, but our low
position prevented us for some time from seeing anything. At last
we both discerned an old yellow post-chaise distinctly and
indisputably approaching us.

Owen and I looked at one another in panic-stricken silence. It
was coming to us--and what did it contain? Do pianos travel in
chaises? Are boxes of novels conveyed to their destination by a
postilion? We expected the piano and expected the novels, but
nothing else--unquestionably nothing else.

The chaise took the turn in the road, passed through the gateless
gap in our rough inclosure-wall of loose stone, and rapidly
approached us. A bonnet appeared at the window and a hand gayly
waved a white handkerchief.

Powers of caprice, confusion, and dismay! It was Jessie Yelverton
herself--arriving, without a word of warning, exactly ten days
before her time.

CHAPTER III.

OUR QUEEN OF' HEARTS.

THE chaise stopped in front of us, and before we had recovered
from our bewilderment the gardener had opened the door and let
down the steps.