Alan Fairford was in the act of speaking to the masked lady (for Miss Redgauntlet had retained her riding vizard) endeavouring to assure her, as he perceived her anxiety, of such protection as he could afford replica oakleys split jacket sunglasses, when his own name, pronounced in a loud tone, attracted his attention.  He looked round, and seeing Peter Peebles, as hastily turned to avoid his notice, in which he succeeded, so earnest was Peter upon his colloquy with one of the most respectable auditors whose attention he had ever been able to engage.  And by this little motion, momentary as it was, Alan gained an unexpected advantage; for while he looked round, Miss Lilias, I could never ascertain why, took the moment to adjust her mask, and did it so awkwardly, that when her companion again turned his head, he recognized as much of her features as authorized him to address her as his fair client, and to press his offers of protection and assistance with the boldness of a former acquaintance.

Lilias Redgauntlet withdrew the mask from her crimsoned cheek. 'Mr. Fairford,' she said, in a voice almost inaudible, 'you have the character of a young gentleman of sense and generosity; but we have already met in one situation which you must think singular; and I must be exposed to misconstruction, at least, for my forwardness, were it not in a cause in which my dearest affections were concerned.'

'Any interest in my beloved friend Darsie Latimer,' said Fairford, stepping a little back replica oakleys sideways sunglasses , and putting a marked restraint upon his former advances, 'gives me a double right to be useful to'--He stopped short.

'To his sister, your goodness would say,' answered Lilias.

'His sister, madam!'  replied Alan, in the extremity of astonishment--'Sister, I presume, in affection only?'

'No, sir; my dear brother Darsie and I are connected by the bonds of actual relationship; and I am not sorry to be the first to tell this to the friend he most values.'

Fairford's first thought was on the violent passion which Darsie had expressed towards the fair unknown.  'Good God!'  he exclaimed, 'how did he bear the discovery?'

'With resignation , I hope,' said Lilias, smiling.  'A more accomplished sister he might easily have come by replica oakleys sideways sunglasses , but scarcely could have found one who could love him more than I do.'

'I meant--I only meant to say,' said the young counsellor, his presence of mind failing him for an instant--'that is, I meant to ask where Darsie Latimer is at this moment.'

<i>Sect.</i> 15.--<i>Natura nihil agit frustra</i>, is the only indis- putable axiom in philosophy.  There are no grotesques in nature; not any thing framed to fill up empty cantons, and unnecessary spaces.  In the most imperfect creatures replica oakley sunglasses, and such as were not preserved in the ark, but, having their seeds and principles in the womb of nature, are everywhere, where the power of the sun is,--in these is the wisdom of his hand discovered.  Out of this rank Solomon chose the object of his admiration; indeed, what reason may not go to school to the wisdom of bees, ants, and spiders?  What wise hand teacheth them to do what reason cannot teach us?  Ruder heads stand amazed at those prodigious pieces of nature, whales, elephants, dromedaries, and camels; these, I confess, are the colossus and majestick pieces of her hand; but in these narrow engines there is more curious mathe- maticks; and the civility of these little citizens more neatly sets forth the wisdom of their Maker.  Who admires not Regio Montanus his fly beyond his eagle;<17> or wonders not more at the operation of two souls in those little bodies than but one in the trunk of a cedar? I could never content my contemplation with those general pieces of wonder, the flux and reflux of the sea, the increase of Nile, the conversion of the needle to the north; and have studied to match and parallel those in the more obvious and neglected pieces of nature which, without farther travel, I can do in the cosmography of myself.  We carry with us the wonders we seek without us: there is all Africa and her prodigies in us.  We are that bold and adventurous piece of nature oakley sunglasses, which he that studies wisely learns, in a compendium, what others labour at in a divided piece and endless volume.