You dream there, under the boughs all gold, and blue, and crimson.  Little things which obscured the eternal landscape, pass away, and the great stars, above the world, come out and flood the mind with a far other light than that which flowed from earthly tapers and rushlights.  The heart is purer for such hours of thought; and as the splendid autumn marches on with pensive smiles, you see a glory in his waning cheek which neither the tender Spring, nor the rich, glittering Summer ever approached—­an expression of hope and resignation which is greater than strength and victory.  Ah, me! if we could always look, like autumn, on the coming storms and freezing snows, and see the light and warmth beyond the veil!

Verty went on beneath the autumn skies, and through the woods, the rustle of whose leaves was music to his forest-trained ear; and so arrived at Apple Orchard as the sun was setting brightly behind the pines, which he kindled gloriously.

Redbud was seated at the window; and the kind eyes and lips brightened, as the form of the young man became visible.

Verty dismounted and entered.

“I am very glad to see you!” said Redbud, smiling, and holding out her small hand; “what a sweet evening for your ride home.”

Redbud was clad with her usual grace and simplicity.  Her beautiful golden hair was brushed back from the pure, white forehead; her throat was enveloped in a circlet of diaphanous lace, and beneath this, as she breathed, the red beads of the coral necklace were visible, rising and falling with the pulsations of her heart.  Redbud could not have very readily explained the reason for her fancy in wearing the necklace constantly.  It was one of those caprices which every one experiences at times;—­and so, although the girl had quite a magazine of such ornaments, she persisted in wearing the old necklace bought from the pedlar.  Perhaps the word Providence may explain the matter.

To the girl’s observation, that he had a fine evening for his ride homeward, Verty replied—­Yes, that he had; that he could not go by, however, without coming to see her.

And as he uttered these words, the simple and tender glances of the two young persons encountered each other; and they both smiled.

“You know you are not very well,” added Verty; “and I could’nt sleep well if I did not know how you were, Redbud.”

The girl thanked him with another smile, and said: 

“I believe I am nearly well now; the cold I caught the other day has entirely left me.  I almost think I might take a stroll, if the sun was not so low.”

“It is half an hour high—­that is, it will not get cool until then,” Verty said.

“Do you think I would catch cold?” asked the girl, smiling.

“I don’t know,” Verty said.

“Well, I do not think I will, and you shall wrap me in your coat, if I do,” she said, laughing.

In ten minutes, Redbud and Verty were strolling through the grove, and admiring the sunset.