s face lit up with
the old dreamy Indian smile. We need not say that the notable scheme
suggested by Miss Sallianna--namely, his making love to some one else
to try Redbud--had never crossed the ingenuous mind of the young man.
From that pure mirror the obscuring breath soon disappeared. He did
not wish to try Redbud--he loved her too much; and now he remained
silent gazing after her, and wholly unconscious of the existence of
Miss Fanny.

That young lady pouted, and uttered an expressive "hum!"

Verty turned his eyes absently toward her.

"You can go, sir, if you don't like my society--I am not anxious to
detain you!" said Miss Fanny, with refreshing candor.

"Go where?" said Verty.

"After Redbud."

"She don't want me to."

"Hum!"

And this little exclamation indicated the light in which Fanny
regarded the excuse.

Verty continued to gaze toward Redbud, who was gathering flowers.

"How kind and good she is!" he murmured.

And these words were accompanied by a smile of so much tender
sincerity, that Fanny relented.

"Yes, she is!" said that young lady; "I'm glad to see that some of
your sex, sir, have a little taste. It is not their failing."

"Anan!" said Verty, smiling.

Fanny laughed; and her good humor began to return completely.

"I know some who are utterly deficient," she said.

"In what?"

"Taste."

"Yes."

And Verty gazed after Redbud.

Fanny burst out laughing; but then remembering her promise to Redbud,
to treat Verty well, and amuse him, checked this exhibition of
satirical feeling, and said:

"Your taste, Mr. Verty, is such that I ought to quarrel with it--but
I'm not going to;--no, not for fifty thousand worlds! If I have any
quarreling to do, it will be with some one else!"

"With whom?"

"That coxcomb cousin of mine, Ralph Ashley."

Verty's countenance became clouded; it was the second time his rival's
name had been uttered that morning.

"He is a fop," said Fanny--"a pure, unadulterated, presumptuous and
intolerable fop. As I live, there he is coming up the road! Oh, won't
we have fine times--he promised to show me his college album!"

And the impulsive Fanny clapped her hands, and more loudly than ever.
Five minutes afterward Mr. Ralph Ashley dismounted at the door of the
Bower of Nature.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

RALPH MAKES LOVE TO MISS SALLIANNA.

We shall now return to Miss Sallianna, and see what effect the viper
tendencies of Mr. Verty had produced upon t