Mrs. Fulton’s countenance looks very familiar to us, and we wonder much where we have seen her before, or if we never have seen her, who it is that she so strongly reminds us of.  Before we can solve the mystery, we observe across the room a face which makes us start up and exclaim, “Is it possible!  Can that be Dr. Lacey?” A second look at the gentleman in question convinces us that he is two inches shorter than Dr. Lacey, and also that he wears glasses; still be bears a striking resemblance to the doctor, and we inquire who he is.  We are told that his name is Robert Stanton.  He is a graduate of Yale and a brother of Mrs. Fulton, He is intending in a few days to start for Kentucky, in company with Frederic Raymond, who was a classmate of his.

As we watch young Stanton’s movements, we observe a certain restlessness in his eye, as it wanders over the crowded room, seemingly in quest of some one who is not there.  At last there is a new arrival, and Miss Warner, a very prim lady and a teacher in the seminary, is announced, together with three of her pupils.  As the young girls enter the parlor, Mr. Stanton seems suddenly animated with new life, and we feel sure that one of those young ladies has a great attraction for him.  Nor are we mistaken, for he soon crosses the room, and going up to one of them, a rosy-cheeked, blue-eyed girl, he says in a low tone, “I am glad you have come, Nellie.  I had almost given you up, and concluded you were doing penance for some misdemeanor, and so could not come out.”  Then taking her upon his arm, he kept her near him all the evening.

There was a strange history connected with Helen Ashton, or Nellie, as she was more familiarly called, but of this we will speak hereafter.  She was formerly a member of the young ladies’ school in New Haven, where she had become acquainted with Robert Stanton, who was in college.  An intimacy sprang up between them which at last ripened into an agreement.  Stanton’s home was near Geneva, and when he left college he suddenly discovered that the Geneva Seminary was superior to any other, and with but little trouble he persuaded Nellie to go there to school.

She had now been an inmate of the seminary in that place little more than a year, during which time Robert had pursued the study of law in Judge Fulton’s office.  He had always possessed a great desire to visit Kentucky, and had finally concluded to do so, determining if he liked it to make it his permanent residence.  He was to return the next autumn for Nellie, who was to remain in school until that time.

As they stood together that evening conversing about Kentucky, Nellie said, “I have an old schoolmate in Frankfort.  It is Kate Wilmot.  Do you remember having seen her in New Haven?”

“Is she very beautiful?” asked Robert.

“Oh, yes, exceedingly so.  She turned half the students’ heads,” answered Nellie.

“Yes, I remember her perfectly well,” said Frederic Raymond, who was standing near, “and so does Bob, but he wants to pretend he does not.  By the way, Miss Ashton,” continued he, “are you not afraid that Kate’s marvelous beauty will endanger your claim upon Robert’s heart, when he shall be near her constantly, and can only think of your blue eyes as ‘over the hills and far away?’”