pels to the act; but I think there will be no need of adopting extreme
measures in the present case. I have a different plan of operations marked
out, which, with your assistance and approval, I will first act upon, and
if _it_ fails, then something else afterward."

"Well, proceed; I am all attention, and will not fail to render such
assistance as shall be in my power, though you know my time is limited."

"I shall not draw upon you for much aid; an hour is all the time it will
require for your part of the performance. But before you can appreciate the
merits of my scheme, it is necessary that I should make some explanations.
You remember the conversation we held in old Marshall's garden?"

"Yes."

"Well, it turned out that Miss Mandeville was in the arbor and overheard a
part of what passed between us."

"The devil she did!"

"Yes, but only enough to excite her suspicions that there was something in
the wind--nothing definite or satisfactory, so that we may consider
ourselves safe on that score."

"But, between you and me, Duffel, I don't like these suspicions; they are
apt to lead to something worse."

"True; but in this instance I think such will not be the result. However, I
must be frank with you, and I hope, if I have gone too far in any point,
you will pardon me, for I did the very best that could be done under the
circumstances, I think. As I said, Miss Mandeville heard a few words that
passed between us at the time referred to, and when, a short time
afterward, her father urged upon her the propriety of accepting me as a
suitor for her hand, she must needs tell him of this little incident!"

"Worse and worse!"

"Not so fast. I know it is bad, and I knew then that something of a
decisive kind must be done in order to relieve myself from the dilemma into
which this little untoward circumstance had placed me. I remembered that on
that occasion you were somewhat disguised, so that in your natural state,
or in any other disguise you might wish to assume, it would be impossible
to identify you as the same individual. Well, after long deliberation, and
the formation and abandonment of many projects, I finally had to settle
upon one, which, in your then appearance, compromised your character to
some degree; but I hope the course I pursued, notwithstanding this
unpleasant part connected with it, will meet your entire and cordial
approbation. Indeed, had I not felt certain of this, I should not have
adopted t