footstep, and caught sight of a
masculine cocked-hat ascending;--which phenomenon, arguing again upon
the theories of cause and effect, plainly indicated that a head was
under the chapeau--the head of one of the opposite sex.

Redbud raised her head quickly at her friend's exclamation, and
discerned the reason therefor. She understood, at a glance, that Verty
had become impatient, waiting in the hall down stairs;--bad heard her
voice from the room above; and, following his wont at Apple Orchard,
quite innocently bethought himself of saving Redbud the trouble of
descending, by ascending to her.

Verty sent his voice before him--a laughing and jubilant voice, which
asked for Redbud.

Fanny jumped up and ran to the door, just as the young man placed his
foot upon the landing, and stood before the group.

Verty made a low bow, and greeted Miss Fanny with one of the most
fascinating smiles which could possibly be imagined. Fanny slammed the
door in his face, without the least hesitation.

For a moment, Verty stood motionless and bewildered, vainly striving
to make out what this extraordinary occurrence meant. At Apple
Orchard, as we have said, the doors had never been slammed in his
face. On the contrary, he had ranged freely over the mansion, amusing
himself as seemed best to him: taking down a volume here--opening a
closet there--strolling into the Squire's room, or Redbud's room,
where that young lady was studying--and even into the apartment of the
dreadful Miss Lavinia, where sat that solemn lady, engaged in the task
of keeping the household wardrobe, stockings, and what not, in good
condition. No one had ever told Verty that there was the least
impropriety in this proceeding; and now, when he only meant to do what
he had done a thousand times before, he had a door banged in his face,
as if he were a thief with hostile intentions toward the spoons.

For some moments, therefore, as we have said, the young man stood
thunderstruck and motionless. Then, considering the whole affair a
joke, he began to laugh; and essayed to open the door.

In vain. Fanny, possibly foreseeing this, had turned the key.

"Redbud!" said Verty.

"Sir?" said a voice; not Redbud's, however.

"Let me in."

"I shall do nothing of the sort," replied the voice.

"Why?" said Verty, with ready philosophy; "it's nobody but me."

"Hum!" said the voice again, in indignant protest against the force of
any such reasoning.

"You are not Redbu