A bright, laughing face, prettily framed round by a black veil
passed over the head and tied under the chin--a traveling-dress
of a nankeen color, studded with blue buttons and trimmed with
white braid--a light brown cloak over it--little neatly-gloved
hands, which seized in an instant on one of mine and on one of
Owen's--two dark blue eyes, which seemed to look us both through
and through in a moment--a clear, full, merrily confident
voice--a look and manner gayly and gracefully
self-possessed--such were the characteristics of our fair guest
which first struck me at the moment when she left the postchaise
and possessed herself of my hand.

"Don't begin by scolding me," she said, before I could utter a
word of welcome. "There will be time enough for that in the
course of the next six weeks. I beg pardon, with all possible
humility, for the offense of coming ten days before my time.
Don't ask me to account for it, please; if you do, I shall be
obliged to confess the truth. My dear sir, the fact is, this is
an act of impulse."

She paused, and looked us both in the face with a bright
confidence in her own flow of nonsense that was perfectly
irresistible.

"I must tell you all about it," she ran on, leading the way to
the bench, and inviting us, by a little mock gesture of
supplication, to seat ourselves on either side of her. "I feel so
guilty till I've told you. Dear me! how nice this is! Here I am
quite at home already. Isn't it odd? Well, and how do you think
it happene d? The morning before yesterday Matilda--there is