doubtfully ahead of him, and
then turned back. An expression of innocent--almost childlike--concern
was clouding the rascal's face. It was well, as the two girls had drawn
closely together, having been apparently surprised in the midst of a
glowing eulogium of this glorious passing vision by its sudden return.
At his nearer approach, the one with the short upper lip hid that
piquant feature and the rest of her rosy face behind the other's
shoulder, which was suddenly and significantly opposed to the advance
of this handsome intruder, with a certain dignity, half real, half
affected, but wholly charming. The protectress appeared--possibly from
her defensive attitude--the superior of her companion.

Audacious as Jack was to his own sex, he had early learned that
such rare but discomposing graces as he possessed required a certain
apologetic attitude when presented to women, and that it was only a
plain man who could be always complacently self-confident in their
presence. There was, consequently, a hesitating lowering of this
hypocrite's brown eyelashes as he said, in almost pained accents,--

"Excuse me, but I fear I've taken the wrong road. I'm going to Green
Springs."

"I reckon you've taken the wrong road, wherever you're going," returned
the young lady, having apparently made up her mind to resent each of
Jack's perfections as a separate impertinence: "this is a PRIVATE road."
She drew herself fairly up here, although gurgled at in the ear and
pinched in the arm by her companion.

"I beg your pardon," said Jack, meekly. "I see I'm trespassing on your
grounds. I'm very sorry. Thank you for telling me. I should have gone on
a mile or two farther, I suppose, until I came to your house," he added,
innocently.

"A mile or two! You'd have run chock ag'in' our gate in another minit,"
said the short-lipped one, eagerly. But a sharp nudge from her companion
sent her back again into cover, where she waited expectantly for another
crushing retort from her protector.

But, alas! it did not come. One cannot be always witty, and Jack looked
distressed. Nevertheless, he took advantage of the pause.

"It was so stupid in me, as I think your brother"--looking at
Short-lip--"very carefully told me the road."

The two girls darted quick glances at each other. "Oh, Bawb!" said the
first speaker, in wearied accents,--"THAT limb! He don't keer."

"But he DID care," said Hamlin, quietly, "and gave me a good deal of
information.