190 EACECOURSE AND COVERT SIDE. 



interest in the matter which interested me most. 

 Lucy seemed more radiant than ever, and I 

 became more and more in love ; and the night's 

 reflections only added fuel to the flame. 



The sun shone brightly next morning as I 

 left my room a little before breakfast time, and 

 emerging into the keen, frosty air, found Forester 

 engaged in jumping a young horse over some 

 hurdles in a field near the gardens. He dis- 

 mounted and surrendered the animal to a groom 

 when I appeared. ' Joining me, we strolled 

 together towards the house, and as we neared it, 

 I was infinitely gratified to see Lucy and the 

 Squire's sister entering one of the hot-houses at 

 a little distance from us. 



"There she is!" I said, enraptured. "Ah, 

 Forester, see how the sun gleams in her golden 

 hair ! " 



" In her — I beg your pardon ? " he said 

 inquiringly. 



" Golden ! It is golden, I maintain — the 

 true, perfect shade of gold ! " I answered. 



" Well, I dare say it is, now you mention it," 

 he replied musingly; "though I hardly think 

 that I should have expressed it quite in that 

 way myself." 



" And you would not, perhaps, call her eyes 

 blue — the watchet, azure hue of the cloudless 



