," interrupted Sarah,
quickly.

"Oh _dear_ no!" said Dan, with deep solemnity; "of _course_ you didn't;
nevertheless I know it, and it wouldn't surprise me much if something
came of it--a wedding, for instance."

Sarah, being afraid to commit herself in some way if she opened her
lips, said nothing, but gazed intently at the ground as they walked
slowly among the sweet-scented shrubs.

"But there's one o' the boys that wants to marry _you_, Sarah Quintal,
and it is for him I want to put in a good word to-day."

A flutter of surprise, mingled with dismay at her heart, tended still
further to confuse the poor girl. Not knowing what to say, she
stammered, "Indeed! Who can it--it--" and stopped short.

"They sometimes call him Dan," said the youth, suddenly grasping Sarah's
hand and passing an arm round her waist, "but his full name is Daniel
McCoy."

Sarah Quintal became as suddenly pale now as she had formerly become
red, and struggled to get free.

"Oh, Dan, Dan, don't!" she cried, earnestly; "_do_ let me go, if you
love me!"

"Well, I will, if you say I may speak to Father Adams about it."

Sarah's answer was quite inaudible to ordinary ears, but it caused Dan
to loosen his hold; and the girl, bounding away like a frightened
gazelle, disappeared among the palm-groves.

"Well," exclaimed Dan, thrusting both hands into his trousers-pockets as
he walked smartly down the hill, "you _are_ the dearest girl in all the
world. There can't be two opinions on that point."

Dan's world was a remarkably small one, as worlds go, but it was quite
large enough to fill his heart to overflowing at that time.

In turning into another path he almost ran against Charlie Christian.

"Well?" exclaimed Charlie, with a brilliant smile. "Well?" repeated
Dan, with a beaming countenance.

"All right," said Charlie.

"Ditto," said Dan, as he took his friend's arm, and hastened to the
abode of John Adams, the great referee in all important matters.

They found him seated at his table, with the big Bible open before him.

"Well, my lads," he said, with a kindly smile as they entered, "you find
me meditatin' over a verse that seems to me full o' suggestive
thoughts."

"Yes, father, what is it?" asked Dan.

"`A prudent wife is from the Lord.' You'll find it in the nineteenth
chapter o' Proverbs."

The youths looked at each other in great surprise. "It is very
strange," said Charlie, "that you should hit upon that text to