hair that he had arranged there, wondering all the
while at his own wonderful boldness, and at the grace of the fair
entertainer.

[Illustration: "Lillie was leaning confidentially on John's arm."]

The returning couple were seen from the windows of Mrs. Chit, who sat
on the lookout for useful information; and who forthwith ran to the
apartments of Mrs. Chat, and told her to look out at them.

Billy This, who was smoking his cigar on the veranda, immediately ran
and called Harry That to look at them, and laid a bet at once that
Lillie had "hooked" Seymour.

"She'll have him, by George, she will!"

"Oh, pshaw! she is always hooking fellows, but you see she don't get
married," said matter-of-fact Harry. "It won't come to any thing, now,
I'll bet. Everybody said she was engaged to Danforth, but it all ended
in smoke."

Whether it would be an engagement, or would all end in smoke, was the
talk of Carmel Springs for the next two weeks.

At the end of that time, the mind of Carmel Springs was relieved by
the announcement that it was an engagement.

The important deciding announcement was first authentically made by
Lillie to Belle Trevors, who had been invited into her room that night
for the purpose.

"Well, Belle, it's all over. He spoke out to-night."

"He offered himself?"

"Certainly."

"And you took him?"

"Of course I did: I should be a fool not to."

"Oh, so I think, decidedly!" said Belle, kissing her friend in a
rapture. "You dear creature! how nice! it's splendid!"

Lillie took the embrace with her usual sweet composure, and turned to
her looking-glass, and began taking down her hair for the night. It
will be perceived that this young lady was not overcome with emotion,
but in a perfectly collected state of mind.

"He's a little bald, and getting rather stout," she said reflectively,
"but he'll do."

"I never saw a creature so dead in love as he is," said Belle.

A quiet smile passed over the soft, peach-blow cheeks as Lillie
answered,--

"Oh, dear, yes! He perfectly worships the ground I tread on."

"Lil, you fortunate creature, you! Positively it's the best match
that there has been about here this summer. He's rich, of an old,
respectable family; and then he has good principles, you know, and all
that," said Belle.

"I think he's nice myself," said Lillie, as she stood brushing out a
golden tangle of curls. "Dear me!" she added, "how much better he is
than that Danforth! Really, Danf