eaning to this polite speech. She knew
that he had come to make love to her; and though she was longing to have
the whole thing done with, as it must be settled one way or the other,
she detested and dreaded the ordeal, and would have put it off if she
could. So she did not give any sign of having understood or even heard
his words, and the opportunity for going on with his purpose, which he
had hoped to extract, was lost for the moment. In truth, Mr. Sheppard
was afraid of this girl, and she knew it, and liked him none the more
for it.

"I have been studying something with great interest, Mr. Sheppard," she
began, as if determined to cut him off from his chance for the present.
"I have made a discovery."

"Indeed, Miss Grey? Yes--I saw that you were in deep contemplation as I
came along, and I wondered within myself what could have been the
subject of your thoughts."

She colored a little and looked suddenly at him, asking herself whether
he could have seen her tears. His face, however, gave no explanation,
and she felt assured that he had not seen them.

"I have found, Mr. Sheppard, that some of the weaknesses of men are
alive in the insect world."

"Indeed, Miss Grey? Some of the affections of men do indeed live, we are
told, in the insect world. So beautifully ordained is everything----"

"The affectations I meant, not the affections of men, Mr. Sheppard.
Could you ever have believed that an insect would be capable of a
deliberate attempt at imposture?"

"I should certainly not have looked for anything of the kind, Miss Grey.
But there is unfortunately so much of evil mixed up with all----"

"So there is. I was going to tell you that as I came here and passed
through the garden, my attention was directed--is not that the proper
way to put it?"

"To put it, Miss Grey?"

"Yes; my attention was directed to a large, heavy, respectable
blue-bottle fly. He kept flying from flower to flower, and burying his
stupid head in every one in turn, and making a ridiculous noise. I
watched his movements for a long time. It was evident to the meanest
understanding that he was trying to attract attention and was hoping the
eyes of the world were on him. You should have seen his pretence at
enjoying the flowers and drinking in sweetness from them--and he stayed
longest on the wrong flowers!"

"Dear me! Now why did he do that?"

"Because he didn't know any better, and he was trying to make us think
he did."

"But, Mis