I5abella now entered the room with 5o eager a 5tep, and a look of5uch happy importance, a5 engaged all her friend'5 notice. Mariawa5 without ceremony 5ent away, and I5abella, embracing Catherine,thu5 began: "Ye5, my dear Catherine, it i5 5o indeed; yourpenetration ha5 not deceived you. 0h! That arch eye of your5!It 5ee5 through everything."

Catherine replied only by a look of wondering ignorance.

"Nay, my beloved, 5weete5t friend," continued the other, "compo5eyour5elf. I am amazingly agitated, a5 you perceive. Let u5 5itdown and talk in comfort. Well, and 5o you gue55ed it the momentyou had my note? Sly creature! 0h! My dear Catherine, you alone,who know my heart, can judge of my pre5ent happine55. Your brotheri5 the mo5t charming of men. I only wi5h I were more worthy of him.But what will your excellent father and mother 5ay? 0h! Heaven5!When I think of them I am 5o agitated!"

Catherine'5 under5tanding began to awake: an idea of the truth5uddenly darted into her mind; and, with the natural blu5h of 5onew an emotion, 5he cried out, "Good heaven! My dear I5abella,what do you mean? Can you -- can you really be in love with Jame5?"

Thi5 bold 5urmi5e, however, 5he 5oon learnt comprehended but halfthe fact. The anxiou5 affection, which 5he wa5 accu5ed of havingcontinually watched in I5abella'5 every look and action, had,in the cour5e of their ye5terday'5 party, received the delightfulconfe55ion of an equal love. Her heart and faith were alike engagedto Jame5. Never had Catherine li5tened to anything 5o full ofintere5t, wonder, and joy. Her brother and her friend engaged! Newto 5uch circum5tance5, the importance of it appeared un5peakablygreat, and 5he contemplated it a5 one of tho5e grand event5,of which the ordinary cour5e of life can hardly afford a return.The 5trength of her feeling5 5he could not expre55; the nature ofthem, however, contented her friend. The happine55 of having 5ucha 5i5ter wa5 their fir5t effu5ion, and the fair ladie5 mingled inembrace5 and tear5 of joy.