te him, and began stitching away demurely at an apron
she was making. Then he broke silence,--

"Where's your aunt to-night, Patty?"

"Oh, she has gone away for a few days, for a visit to some
friends."

"You and I will keep house, then, together; you shall teach me
all the tricks of the trade. I shall make a famous barman, don't
you think?"

"You must learn to behave better, then. But I promised aunt to
shut up at nine; so you must go when it strikes. Now promise me
you will go."

"Go at nine! what, in half an hour? The first evening I have ever
had a chance of spending alone with you; do you think it likely?"
and he looked into her eyes. She turned away with a slight
shiver, and a deep blush.

His nervous system had been so unusually excited in the last few
days, that he seemed to know everything that was passing in her
mind. He took her hand. "Why, Patty, you're not afraid of me,
surely?" he said, gently.

"No, not when you're like you are now. But you frightened me just
this minute. I never saw you look so before. Has anything
happened to you?"

"No, nothing. Now then, we're going to have a jolly evening, and
play Darby and Joan together," he said, turning away, and going
to the bar window; "shall I shut up, Patty?"

"No, it isn't nine yet; somebody may come in."

"That's just why I mean to put the shutters up; I don't want
anybody."

"Yes, but I do, though. Now I declare, Mr. Brown, if you go on
shutting up, I'll run into the kitchen and sit with Dick."

"Why will you call me 'Mr. Brown'?"

"Why, what should I call you?"

"Tom, of course."

"Oh, I never! one would think you was my brother," said Patty,
looking up with a pretty pertness which she had a most bewitching
way of putting on. Tom's rejoinder, and the little squabble which
they had afterward about where her work-table should stand, and
other such matters, may be passed over. At last he was brought to
reason, and to anchor opposite his enchantress, the work-table
between them; and he sat leaning back in his chair and watching
her, as she stitched away without ever lifting her eyes. He was
in no hurry to break the silence. The position was particularly
fascinating to him, for he had scarcely ever yet had a good look
at her before, without fear of attracting attention, or being
interrupted. At last he roused himself.

"Any of our men been here to-day, Patty?" he said, sitting up.

"There now, I've won," she laughed; "I said to myself