turning, thus laden, from his first excursion, he was accosted by a
fluty voice.

"Little boy!"

He looked up, and saw a girl standing on the lower bar of a little
wooden gate painted white, looking over.

_"Please_ bring me my ball," said she, pathetically.

Compton looked about; and saw a soft ball of many colors lying near.

He put down his cowslips gravely, and, brought her the ball. He gave it
her with a blush, because she was a strange girl; and she blushed a
little, because he did.

He returned to his cowslips.

"Little boy!" said the voice, "please bring me my ball again."

He brought it her, with undisturbed politeness. She was giggling; he
laughed too, at that.

"You did it on purpose that time," said he, solemnly.

"La! you don't think I'd be so wicked," said she.

Compton shook his head doubtfully, and, considering the interview at an
end turned to go, when instantly the ball knocked his hat off, and
nothing of the malefactress was visible but a black eye sparkling with
fun and mischief, and a bit of forehead wedged against the angle of the
wall.

This being a challenge, Compton said, "Now you come out after that, and
stand a shot, like a man."

The invitation to be masculine did not tempt her a bit; the only thing
she put out was her hand, and that she drew in, with a laugh, the
moment he threw at it.

At this juncture a voice cried, "Ruperta! what are you doing there?"

Ruperta made a rapid signal with her hand to Compton, implying that he
was to run away; and she herself walked demurely toward the person who
had called her.

It was three days before Compton saw her again, and then she beckoned
him royally to her.

"Little boy," said she, "talk to me."

Compton looked at her a little confounded, and did not reply.

"Stand on this gate, like me, and talk," said she.

He obeyed the first part of this mandate, and stood on the lower bar of
the little gate; so their two figures made a V, when they hung back,
and a tenpenny nail when they came forward and met, and this motion
they continued through the dialogue; and it was a pity the little
wretches could not keep still, and send for my friend the English
Titian: for, when their heads were in position, it was indeed a pretty
picture of childish and flower-like beauty and contrast; the boy fair,
blue-eyed, and with exquisite golden hair; the girl black-eyed,
black-browed, and with eyelashes of incredible length and beauty, and a
cheek