Intelligence of his daughter’s good deeds did not, so often as before, reach the old baron’s ears; and yet Nina drew as much money as before, and had twice asked to have the sum doubled.  The father could not understand the meaning of all this.  He did not believe that any thing was wrong—­he had too much confidence in Nina—­but he was puzzled.  We will briefly apprise the reader of the cause of this change.

One day—­it was nearly a year from the time Nina had become a constant visitor at Blanche Delebarre’s—­the young lady sat reading a book in the matron’s cottage.  She was alone—­Blanche having gone out to visit a sick neighbor at Nina’s request.  A form suddenly darkened the door, and some one entered hurriedly.  Nina raised her eyes, and met the gaze of a youthful strange, who had paused and stood looking at her with surprise and admiration.  With more confusion, but with not less of wonder and admiration, did Nina return the stranger’s gaze.

“Is not this the cottage of Blanche Delebarre?” asked he, after a moment’s pause.  His voice was low and musical.

“It is,” replied Nina.  “She has gone to visit a sick neighbor, but will return shortly.”

“Is my mother well?” asked the youth.

Nina rose to her feet.  This, then, was Pierre Delebarre, of whom his mother had so often spoke.  The heart of the maiden fluttered.

“The good Blanche is well,” was her simple reply.  “I will go and say to her that her son has come home.  It will make her heart glad.”

“My dear young lady, no!” said Pierre.  “Do not disturb my mother in her good work.  Let her come home and meet me here—­the surprise will add to the pleasure.  Sit down again.  Pardon my rudeness—­but are not you the young lady from the castle, of whom my mother so often writes to me as the good angel of the village?  I am sure you must be, or you would not be alone in my mother’s cottage.”

Nina’s blushes deepened, but she answered without disguise that she was from the castle.

A full half hour passed before Blanche returned.  The young and artless couple did not talk of love with their lips during that time, but their eyes beamed with a mutual passion.  When the mother entered, so much were they interested in each other, that they did not hear her approaching footstep.  She surprised them leaning toward each other in earnest conversation.

The joy of the mother’s heart was great on meeting her son.  He was wonderfully improved since she last saw him—­had grown several inches, and had about him the air of one born of gentle blood, rather than the air of a peasant.  Nina staid only a very short time after Blanche returned, and then hurried away from the cottage.