iss Panney, "it may be a little early to
make bridal presents, but I want to give you this corkscrew. It is a
very good one, and I think that after a while you will have need of it.
Good morning."

When the old lady had abruptly departed, the two young people laughed,
and Ralph offered his congratulations.

"I do not know Mr. Ames very well," he said, "but I have heard no end of
good of him. But this is very surprising. It seems--"

"Seems what?" asked Dora.

"Well, since you ask me," Ralph answered, hesitating a little, "it seems
odd, not, perhaps, that you should marry the rector, but that you should
marry anybody. You appear to me too young to marry."

"Oh, indeed!" said Dora; "you think that?"

"I do not know that you understand me," said Ralph, "but I mean that you
are so full of youth--and all that, and enjoy life so much, that it is
a pity that you should not have more of youthful enjoyment before you
begin any other kind."

Dora laughed.

"Truly," said she, "I never looked at the matter in that light. Perhaps I
ought to have done so. You think me too young, and if you had had a
chance, perhaps you would have warned me! You are so kind and so
considerate, but don't you think you ought to speak to Mr. Ames about it?
He does not know you very well, but he has heard no end of good of you,
and perhaps what you say might make him reflect."

As she spoke she looked at him with her eyes not quite so wide open as
usual. Ralph returned her gaze steadfastly.

"I know what you are thinking of," he said. "You are thinking of a fable
with an animal in it and some fruit, and the animal was a small one, and
the fruit was on a high trellis."

"Oh, dear," said Dora. "It must be very nice to have read as much as you
have, and to know fables and all sorts of things to refer to. But my life
hasn't been long enough for all that."

The more Ralph's mind dwelt upon the matter, the more dissatisfied did he
feel that this beautiful young creature should marry the rector. If, in
truth, she applied the fable to him, this was all the more reason why he
should feel sorry for her. If anything of all this showed itself in his
eyes, he did not know it, but Dora's eyes opened to their full width, and
grew softer.

"I expect I surprise you," she said, "by talking to you of these things,
but I have so few friends to confide in. Herbert is wrapped up in his
own engagement, and Mrs. Bannister is entirely apart from me. Almost
ever s