"  You  wanted  to  see  Stella,"  said  she ;  "  go  and  find  her
You  know  where  the  Widow  Brown  lives,  just  beyond  Wal-
nut Hill.  It  will  be  a  pleasant  ride  for  you.  If  you  choose,
you  can  ask  her  to  visit  you,  though  I  don't  like  the  girl  and
never  did  I  would  not  treat  her  unkindly,  but  I  would  not


RENA;    OR,   THE   SNOWBIRD.  139

wish  to  see  you  sleeping  on  the  same  pillow ;  as  you  did  wheu
children.  Your  heart  is  pure,  child,  now;  keep  it  from
contamination."

Rena  did  not  look  back  and  smile,  with  a  face  of  living
sunshine,  as  she  did,  when  last  she  rode  from  the  gate ;  but
she  felt  grateful  to  her  aunt  for  not  commanding  her  to  avoid
Sherwood,  if  she  should  chance  to  meet  him.  It  implied  a
confidence  in  her,  which  she  resolved  should  not  be  misplaced.
At  first  she  rode  slowly  and  pensively  along,  the  bridle  hang-
ing so  loosely  in  her  hand,  that  Cygnet,  attracted  by  some
tufts  of  fragrant  clover  that  sprang  up  by  the  way-side,  stopped
leisurely  to  regale  himself,  supposing  he  had  been  taken  out
for  his  own  amusement.
"  Ah  !  Cygnet !"  cried  she,  "  this  will  never  do — "  and
touching  his  flanks  lightly  with  her  whip,  he  sprang  forward
with  a  bound,  that  would  have  thrown  a  less  practised  rider
from  the  saddle.  She  was  soon  winding  round  the  brow  of
the  hill,  under  the  foliage  of  the  walnut  trees.  There  was  a
path,  right  across  the  woods,  and  she  turned  in  that  direction,
her  spirits  already  exhilarated  and  her  eye  brightened.
