not attempt to
convince any one of confidence misplaced for the world--unless I had
the weightiest reason. Yet, I confess it grieves me still more to see
confiding people deceived, they feel so bad after it."

Upon this, Frisbie rose and repeated his invitation to Fabens, to go
over and see them, saying, as he left the door, that "he hoped
Fairbanks would not be an old bachelor always, but get him a good wife,
and have a home, and live like somebody, that ladies and gentlemen
might visit him. But what do you think he says, when I jog him on the
subject? That there is only one girl in Summerfield he could like well
enough to marry, and I point in a certain direction, and tell him I can
guess who he means!

"Fairbanks is getting notional like all old bachelors. His mother
taught him some of it. She thought so much of him when she kept house
for him on the Hudson, she dared not let him stay away from home over
night, for fear he would have the croup.

"He grows more and more particular in his choice of friends, and sets a
higher and higher mark for the young lady of his choice. I tell him he
is too particular. But he must have his notions; and I will say this
for Fairbanks, whoever gets him, will get a prize worth setting her cap
for. His mother always said, if he hadn't a happy and loving home, it
wouldn't be his fault."

Frisbie left, and while Fanny's quince-blossom blushes all rallied to
her cheeks and mounted to her forehead at the allusion in his last
words, they all wondered why any one could suspect George Ludlow of
crime, on evidence so trivial; and they thought none the less of him,
or the merchant, or the clerk.

In the course of a few weeks, Fairbanks and Frisbie came again, and
Fairbanks borrowed a hundred dollars, spent a pleasant evening, and
evinced a still warmer regard for Fanny Fabens. A week before the
money was to be paid, he returned and said, he had it all with him, and
if the Squire wished to make immediate use of it he would insist on
paying it over; at the same time intimating the great obligation it
would confer on him to permit him the use of it a few weeks longer;
getting an extension of time till he could return from New York, and
obtaining the loan of Fabens' note, payable to his order at the bank,
for a hundred and fifty dollars.

Before the time of extension expired, the borrowed money was paid, with
interest urged, and a few handsome presents to Fanny and Mrs. Fabens,
for