er. It was pretty to see and to hear her,--those very
outbreaks were so free and girlish and wayward, and at the
same time so sweet. Several minutes of the prescribed time
slipped away.

'How soon do you go to Chickaree?' said the gentleman, in a
pre-engaged tone, very busy with his pencil.

'How soon?' repeated the lady, surveying her own sketch--'why--
not too soon for anybody that wants me away, I suppose. Ask
Mr. Falkirk.'

'Is it long since you have seen the place?'

'I can hardly be said to have "seen" it at all. I think my
landscape eyes were not open at that remote period of which
you speak.'

'I was a red squirrel then, in the "former state" to which I
referred a while ago. So you see your late threat has no
terrors for me. Is it in process of execution?'

'O were you?' said Miss Hazel, absorbed in her drawing. 'Yes--
but the expression is very difficult!--Did you think you knew
me as a field mouse?'

He laughed a little.

'Then, I suppose you have not the pleasure of knowing your
neighbours, the Marylands?--except the specimen lately on
hand?'

'No, I have heard an account of them,' said Miss Kennedy. 'For
shame, Mr. Rollo, Dr. Maryland isn't a "specimen." He's good.
I like him.'

The gentleman made no remark upon this, but confined his
attention to his work for a few minutes; then looked at his
watch.

'Is that sketch ready to show?--Time's up.'

'And the squirrel is down. But not much else.'

Not much!--the squirrel sat contemplatively gazing into Mr.
Rollo's hat, which lay on the rock before him, quite
undisturbed by a remarkable looking witch who rose up at the
other end. The gentleman surveyed them attentively.

'Do you consider these true portraits?'

'I do not think the hat would be a tight fit,' said she,
smothering a laugh.

'Well!' said he comically, 'it is said that no man knows
himself--how it may be with women I can't say!' And he made
over the sketch in his hand and went to his former work; which
had been cutting a stick.

There was more in this second sketch. The handling was
effective as it had been swift. Considering that fifteen
minutes and a lead pencil were all, there had been a great
deal done, in a style that proved use and cultivation as well
as talent. The rocks, upper and lower, were truly given; the
artist had chosen a different state of light from the actual
hour of the day, and had thus thrown a great mass into fine
relief. Round it the ferns and mosses