He was deaf to reason on the subject. All the facts of the occurrence were stampt on his mind- and all the logic I was master of had no effect. I left him on that night in no enviable state of mind-I was confident that there was some misunderstanding of the occurrence that made the head and front of the offending, but how to remove it was the question.
The difficulty between the two lovers remained as yet unadjusted. Since the evening in question Harry Morton had not visited the residence of Mary. The fact was made the gossip of the friends of the parties. At first Mary was surprised at the conduct of Harry, and sought an interview. But when she saw the determined part that Harry was acting in avoiding a meeting, her pride took the alarm, and she also avoided all those places where the possibility was she would meet him. Things were in this state when I received an invitation to attend an evening party, to be given at the house of a mutual friend of the lovers. I instantly perceived in this a fitting opportunity for an interview, and possibility of a reconciliation . The evening came, and with it the collection of fair forms and happy faces, and none were more so to the casual observer than Mary Wilson. She was the life of the little circle of which she made the centre. The laugh and jest went round, and she was the first in all. But to me the frequent and uneasy glances at the door, gave the intimation that some one was missing from that circle most prized by her. At length Mr. Morton was announced. As he extended the customary civilities of the evening to Mary, I saw, that despite her pride, the color came in deeper tints on her check ; but it was past, and she was again in the happiest mood. He in his turn was earnestly engaged in conversation with some ladies. But in his nervous and uneasy manner was to be seen the conflict that was going on within. The frequent pause in the conversation-the sidelong glances -the fits of obstruction—all told that all was not right. Singing being proposed, and Harry having being an adept therein, he was necessarily called upon for the exercise of his abilities. After the song had went round, a laughing girl proposed a duet, and Harry and Mary were instantly named as the parties. At the mention of this Harry was evidently much agitated, and various were the methods he tried to evade the matter altogether ; but the company insisted, and he at length consented. Mary was now to pass the ordeal. She feared that her voice and manner would betray the secret, and that all would read the issue. But the time had come for action and she prepared. Harry seated himself by her side, and they commenced. The song selected was that familiar old one, the " Banks of the Blue Moselle," and one that they had often sung in the days that were past. The voice of Mary faltered at the onset, but she rallied, and
the song was ended. Harry was scarcely less moved than Mary. A train of old associations came crowding back upon his memory, and the evening passed off, at least to them, without pleasure. Mary soon after pleaded indisposition , and left the apartment. When she was gone, the spirits and life of Harry seemel gone also, and soon after he also took his leave and retired. As he was passing through the hall previous to leaving the house, he was surprised to encounter Mary also leaving the house, and without an attendant. This fact, as connected with the visible alteration in her manners on the evening after the circumstances connected with the song, threw a new light on the mind of Harry. The whole truth flashed upon him at once. He had wronged her, and she had not been guilty. And now she was ill. His course was instantly taken. To cross the hall and proffer his attendance was the event of the next moment. At first she hesitated, but he insisted, and she consented . To his kind and solicitious enquiries after her health, she returned the usual answers, and the distance to her residence was passed in comparative silence. On arriving at the house of Mr. Wilson, he entered in answer to the usual invitation. Silence reigned for some time after they were seated. Harry was the first to break the charm that seemed to bind them. Advancing to the window where Mary was seated , he said, "Mary can you forgive me ?" and then seating himself by her side, and taking her hand, he exclaimed, “ I have been hasty-perhaps cruel, but be the past forgotten, and the future shall make the amends." " Henry," replied Mary, and she fixed her eyes upon him as if to read his thoughts. " What has been the cause of this ? Surely I have said or done nothing that " would justify such a course.' Henry related all the occurrences of the evening that had led to this affair-the fact of his having called-of her absence-of the glove without the fellow. At this Mary left the room and soon returned , bearing in her hand the identical glove-but the countepart was in the other on which was the name of Henry Morton. One look was all that was necessary to convince him of the truth of Mary and his own rashness, and seizing the hand of Mary, he exclaimed, "Mary can you forget this-I see it all, fool that I was not to do so before- forgive but this once and I will-" "No protestations," said Mary, who had totally recovered her spirits by this happy explanation. “ I will forgive it all-but remember, Henry, no more times of absence, no more jealousy." "No, no, Mary-my life for it," continued Henry. "I have had quite enough of that." When Henry left the house that night he was the happiest man in the world ; and Mary ! the rose on her check blooms brightly as before, and none have had cause to regret the fruits of the Meeting.
