"Do you think, Wharton, that this is safe? She looks as if she was going over." 66 Perfectly safe," said Wharton; "she swims like a duck; not the least danger of her going over." "How she scuds along!" exclaimed Major Lawton; "She walks the waters like a thing of life, And seems to dare the elements to strife.'" "I thought the Major would give us that quotation again, before we got hoine," whispered Betterton to Wharton. "How delightful this is!" said Emily Lawton, clapping her hands with plea sure, and laughing to see Miss Moleskin clinging in terror to Elkton's arm; and he, looking as if he wished himself anywhere but where he was. "Is not this charming, Caroline? I can almost fancy that we are sailing through the air on the back of some monstrous bird." "About as much as the Grand Lama knows of the Pentateuch!" observed Wharton in an undertone to Emily Lawton. Adela and Carrol were sitting on the leeward side of the vessel; all the others were to windward. It was now getting quite dark; the sun had set, and the western sky retained but a faint and evanescent reflection of his rays. They had come along with the swiftness of thought, and were now nearly opposite to Fort Mifflin. The wind, which had been hitherto blowing steadily, now lulled off at intervals, and blew only in violent gusts. When they were abreast of the fort, and just after they had been borne along by a comparatively gentle breeze, they were suddenly caught by a gust, which, for duration and violence, exceeded any that had preceded it. The little vessel bent broadside down into the water; and not only her lee gunwale, but a part of the deck also was submerged, and she was in great danger of going over. The ladies screamed, and they all started up in anticipation of a catas. trophe. "Let go the halliards!" shouted the man who held the tiller, when he found that she would no longer obey the helm. Carrol started up from beside Adela, and calling to Wharton to take her to the other side, he sprang for a hatchet that was lying on the deck, and with one blow he severed the halliards, and the sail came rattling down the mast, while the light vessel, relieved "Yes," said Elkton, "that's all very well; but you must remember that you don't go to sea in such a boat as this. I know, when I went out with Lord Frizzleby in his yacht, when the wind was not near as high as this is, he took in his sails, and ran into port until it was over; and he was thought to know something about seamanship." from the straining wind, righted imme " diately. Carrol turned to rejoin Adela | from the water in a state of insensibility, caused by exhaustion. where he had left her, but, as he did so, he heard a shriek, and, to his horror, saw her fall over the side into the water. She had risen to join Wharton, who was coming towards her to conduct her from the place where she was standing; but when she attempted to move, the motion of the vessel, as it rose from the water, staggered her: she stumbled, and before Wharton could reach out his hand to save her, she fell over, as has been described. Things being in this state, they were compelled to put into Fort Mifflin: where they were received and hospitably entertained by Colonel Davenport, who commanded there, and also by his lady, who paid every attention to Adela that her condition required. Under the kind solicitude of Mrs. Davenport, Adela soon recovered; and in a short time, the recollection of her immersion was the only unpleasant consequence, that she experienced from it. Carrol, too, had been restored to sensibility by the application of some spirits; and having exchanged his dripping clothes for a suit of Colonel Davenport's. which happened to be a tolerable fit, he made his appearance in the drawingroom, in quite a renovated condition. The fears and alarms of the ladies were now changed to merriment; and they all, save Adela, laughed over the disasters, that an hour before had caused them so much terror. Before either Wharton or Major Lawton could throw off their coats, Carrol had leaped into the river, and was swimming to her assistance. She had been borne a short distance by the current, but Carrol speedily reached her, and passing his arm round her waist, he commenced stemming the tide in the direction of the vessel, which was now floating gradually towards them. But he had no light task to perform. Adela was almost insensible, and he had to keep her head above the water, and to swim against a strong tide; and encumbered as he was with his clothing, (for he had not taken off even his coat,) this was a matter of considerable difficulty. It was fortunate that Wharton and the Major, as soon as they had divested themselves of their coats and boots, came to his assistance. Between them they were enabled to bear up against the strength of the current, until they were relieved by being taken on board the Gossamer. "I have no recollection of thinking Adela fainted as soon as she was placed at all," replied Adela. "I experienced on the deck; and Carrol was taken an indefinite sensation that I should be "I thought," said Jemima Burly, "that we should all have been drowned, when I saw the vessel going over on one side." "Oh, there was no danger of drowning," observed Major Lawton, "if even she had capsized. But it would have been very unpleasant, as I have no doubt Miss Lewison found it." "What did you think about, Adela, when you were in the water?" Caroline asked. that event, my thinking faculties deserted me. drowned, as I fell overboard; but, after | breeze only was blowing. The clouds had entirely disappeared from the hori zon, and the moon was now shining beautifully bright in the heavens. "I knew nothing at all about it," said Betterton, " until I heard Wharton Carrol offered Adela his arm, which cry out, and saw him taking off his she took, and they strolled together in coat; and by the time I joined him, I silence for some time, along the grasaw Carrol swimming to your assist-velled walks of the fort. As they ance. If there had been time, I should approached the water, the sight of it have drawn a comparison between him revived vividly the recollection of all and Leander crossing the Hellespont." that she had lately passed through ; "But Mr. Elkton could not get on and Adela involuntarily clasped Carthat side of the vessel at all," said rol's arm with both her hands. Emily Lawton, with a sly smile. "He was so much engaged with Miss Moleskin, who came very near fainting." 'I was not so near fainting," replied Miss Moleskin, tartly, "as not to see that Miss Lawton was as pale as a sheet, and that Mr. Betterton was nearly crazy to see her look so frightened." "Indeed, I thought it time to be frightened," said Emily, laughing, "when we were about to be thrown, like so many young kittens, into the water. We may laugh at the idea now; but then, it was too serious to be made a jest of. I was not aware, though, that it was Mr. Betterton who occupied himself in administering consolation to my troubled spirit at that trying moment." "Yes," said Betterton, "I was acting as your spiritual comforter, but I was expecting every moment to have my vocation changed to that of a lifepreserver." "What have I not to thank you for!" she said, with a quivering lip."Had it not been that you perilled your own life to save mine, I might now, instead of enjoying health, have been a corpse! Do not think that I am ungrateful because I did not thank you sooner: indeed, I could not; I felt too much to trust myself to speak upon the sub ject." "You owe me no thanks," said Car. rol, who seemed to be almost as much agitated as Adela waş. "Mine is the pleasure, in having been able to render you a service, slight as it was; for the peril to myself was more imaginary than real. Would that I had it in my power to convince you how much I would venture to serve you-how much I would risk to add one atom to your happiness, or to shield you from a single pain!" Adela clasped her trembling hands still closer on his arm, and her bosom heaved with emotion, as she cast her bright eyes, suffused with tears, to the ground. While the conversation had been going on in the house, Carrol and Adela had stepped to the door. The "Adela! dear Adela! I love you !" storm had quite subsided, and a gentle said Carrol, placing his hand on hers; "I love you deeply, passionately, de- imagination, can conceive a reply, elovotedly not with a love that can quent, interesting, and natural, without change its object, but with a feeling our expressing another word on the that is part of my existence, and which subject. Nor is it necessary for us to can cease only with my life;-with a relate what further conversation translove which would promote your happi-pired, or how long it was before they ness as the first and dearest object in returned to the house. the world. If I have been so fortunate "Where in the world have you been as to gain 'your affections to merit sentimentalizing?" asked Emily Lawyour regard-I may for ever smile at ton, as Adela and Carrol re-entered the the frowns of fate. Hear me, loveliest drawing-room. "We have only been and best!" said he, as she stood trembling at his side, her emotions depriving her of the power of utterance; "if the hopes I have cherished may be realized; if the bright dreams that for 12 months I have fondly indulged, are not illusions; if, as I believed and flattered myself, you have divined my feelings, and this confession is not displeasing to you; give me some intimation, that I may be assured of my own joy." His arm glided round her waist, and he drew her gently towards him. Her head fell upon his shoulder, and she burst into tears. "Dear! dear Adela! my soul's best treasure!" said he, pressing her to his breast; 66 my heart tells me that these are not tears of sorrow; that no feelings of pain are mingled with them; yet assure me, with your own sweet lips, of that which makes my happiness perfect. Tell me that you love me! You do do you not, dearest?" "Yes," murmured Adela, in a low tone, as she timidly raised her eyes, glistening with tears of joy and affection, to his. waiting for you, Adela, and Mr. Carrol, to dare again the dangerous waves, in search of our homes and families." "We are all ready," said Wharton, "and as the storm is over, and it is getting late, we had better start as soon as possible. We can be home by twelve o'clock, and be in time to quiet the fears that have, no doubt, been excited, in consequence of our unexpected delay." """Miss Lewison," said Mrs. Davenport, "had better remain with me until the morning. She is not well enough to return to town to-night." "Thank you," said Adela, "I am perfectly well. My drenching has not injured me in the least; it only caused me a little fright, and from that I have quite recovered." "Well, I am glad to hear that you have suffered no further inconvenience from it," said Mrs. Davenport, “though I shall lose the pleasure of your company.' 29 "We all owe you many thanks for your kindness,” said Adela, “and apologize for the trouble we have caused you." It is needless to describe how Carrol replied to this avowal. The reader, "Not at all, my dear," replied Mrs. without exercising any great stretch of Davenport, "you have not put me to the least trouble. Even if you had, morning; and then the gentlemen prothe pleasure of your company would cured carriages, and escorted their have amply repaid it. Our isolated fair charges to their homes, all being situation prevents our having much society here; so that we are under particular obligations to those who visit us, and relieve us from some of the monotony of our life. I shall hope to see all or any of you again, and at any time." The compliment was acknowledged, and returned, by all the young ladies and gentlemen; and they arose to take leave of their kind host and hostess. "Not," said Mrs. Davenport, as a servant entered the room with refreshments, "until you have partaken of our hospitality." highly delighted with the excursion, notwithstanding the contretemp that had threatened to mar their mirth.But those most pleased with it, and with the consequences of it, were the prin cipal sufferers,-Adela and Carrol. I would the fool were married to her grave! Cap. Soft, take me with you, take me with you, wife. How! will she none; doth she not give us thanks? Colonel Davenport insisted on the gentlemen taking a glass of wine with him, before they started; which proposition, as there were no very strenuous objections urged to it, was duly complied with; and then they all pro- Proud can I never be of what I hate, Is she not proud? doth she not count her blessed, ceeded to the boat together. "We're off now!" exclaimed Wharton, as the "Gossamer" glided from the wharf. "A pleasant voyage to you!" replied Colonel Davenport. "But if you happen to be in distress again," said he, laughing, "you know where you will be welcome." Unworthy as she is, that we have wrought ful that you have. But thankful even for hate that is made love. THE same evening that Adela spent at Fort Mifflin, Fitz Osborne spent at her father's house. He had a long and earnest private conversation with Mr. Lewison, during which he spoke warmly of his daughter, and of his admiration of her; and after dwelling for some time on these themes, he concluded by proposing himself as her husband. This was the realization of Mr. Lewison's fondest hopes. He had surmised that Fitz Osborne was attached Colonel Davenport and his wife re- to Adela, and for some time past he turned to the house. The "Gossa- had been expecting to hear that Fitz mer" did not reach the city until be- Osborne had made the proposition in tween twelve and one o'clock in the his own proper person, but he was "Good night," said Mrs. Davenport. "Good night," replied the party from the boat, as the sail caught the breeze, and the distance from the fort increased rapidly. |