But a change was destined to take place which, indeed, it is surprising had not sooner occurred.  William found himself, he hardly knew how, more frequently in the company of his sister’s lovely friend, notwithstanding it was with a more timid step he sought the dwelling of Mr. Armstrong.  For it seemed to him as if the little community were beginning to suspect the existence of those feelings which, like the morning glory, shrink from the rays of the sun.  They were too delicate for inspection.  They were like the wing of the butterfly or the plumage of the humming-bird, which cannot be handled without being tarnished.  Hence, though longing to enter the house as in his school-boy days, were it only to catch for a moment the sounds of Faith’s voice or a glimpse of her face, he would content himself with merely passing by, deriving a satisfaction from the consciousness of being nearer to her, and of gazing on the house beautified by her presence.  Besides, as his feelings became more interested, his distrust of himself increased.  The heart of the bold, young man, which real danger had never disturbed, fluttered like a caught bird at the voice of Faith, more and more, and he hesitated to make an avowal which might, indeed, crown his hopes, but which might, also, dash them to the ground.  For he could not conceal from himself that Faith, so far from giving him encouragement as a lover, had never even appeared to suspect his feelings.  Her conduct had always been the same, the same unreserved confidence, the same frank, unconstrained deportment.  She spoke to him as freely as ever of her hopes and fears; she took his arm as readily, nor did a blush welcome his coming or a tremor of the voice signalize his departure.

Young ladies are usually sharp-sighted enough in detecting admiration, and fathoming the heart of a lover, and some may think her want of penetration strange.  If so, I must entreat indulgence for my simple Faith.  Be the circumstances remembered in which she was placed and had grown up; her child-like innocence and purity, unacquainted with the world, her seclusion from society, the intimacy that had always existed between her and young Bernard, which continued to make many attentions that would have been marked in another, natural and expected from him, and the want of all preoccupation in his favor, and the surprise of the keen-sighted will diminish.  Is not an inexperienced and modest girl slow to suspect in another, emotions towards herself of a kind which she has never felt?

William Bernard, then, had never told his love, nor did Miss Armstrong dream of its existence.  To her he was the dear friend of her childhood, and nothing more.  His mother and sister suspected the condition of his heart, and it was with calm satisfaction in the former, and a glow of delight in the latter, that they looked forward to the time when the attentions and amiable qualities of the son and brother should ripen the friendship of the unimpassioned beauty into love.  Of this result, with a pardonable partiality they did not doubt.  With this explanation of the feelings of the two young people towards each other at this time, we will accompany them on a morning walk to the Falls of the Yaupaae.