I  had  conceived  tae  idea,  which  I  now  recognized  as  a
very  foolish  one,  that  Zenobia  would  have  taken  meas
ures  to  debar  me  from  an  interview  with  this  girl,  be
tween  whom  and  herself  there  was  so  utter  an  opposition
of  their  dearest  interests,  that,  on  one  part  or  the  other,  a
great  grief,  if  not  likewise  a  great  wrong,  seemed  a  mat
ter  of  necessity.  But,  as  Priscilla  was  only  a  leaf  float
ing  on  the  dark  current  of  events,  without  influencing
them  by  her  own  choice  or  plan,  —  as  she  probably
guessed  not  whither  the  stream  was  bearing  her,  nor
perhaps  even  felt  its  inevitable  movement,  —  there  could
be  no  peril  of  her  communicating  to  me  any  intelligence
with  regard  to  Zenobia's  purposes.
On  perceiving  me,  she  came  forward  with  great  quiet-

.  e  of  manner ;  and  when  I  held  out  my  hand,  her  owr
moved  slightly  towards  it,  as  if  attracted  by  a  feeble
degree  of  magnetism.
"  I  am  glad  to  see  you,  my  dear  Priscilla,"  said  I,  still
nolding  her  hand ;  "  but  everything  that  I  meet  with
now-a-days,  makes  me  wonder  whether  I  am  awake.
