knew you would--you are so--so remarkable--"

"No, no, Miss Sallianna!"

"Yes, you are--for your intrinsic perspicuity, sir--la!"

And Miss Sallianna ogled her visitor.

"This," said Ralph, with enthusiasm, "is the proudest moment of my
life. The beautiful Sallianna--"

"Oh, Mr. Ashley."'

"Yes, madam!" said Ralph, "torture would not make me change the word."

"La! Mr. Ashley!"

"The beautiful Miss Sallianna has declared that I am possessed
of intrinsic perspicuity! I need nothing more. Now let the fates
descend!"

With which heroic words Mr. Ralph Ashley wiped his brow with solemn
dignity, and chuckled behind his handkerchief.

"I always admired perspicuity," said Miss Sallianna, with a languid
glance.

"And I, beauty, madam."

"La! sir."

"Admiration is a weak word, Miss Sallianna."

"Opprobrium?" suggested the lady.

"Yes, yes! that is the word! Thank you, Miss Sallianna. I am not as
strong in philology as you are. I should have said opprobrium--that is
what I have always regarded beauty, such as yours, all my life."

Miss Sallianna covered her face with her fan. Here was an opportunity
to supply the place of the faithless Verty and the odious Jinks.
As the thought occurred to her, Miss Sallianna assumed an awful
expression of favor and innocent fondness. Ralph shuddered as he
caught sight of it.

"Are you fond of ladies, sir?" asked Miss Sallianna, smiling.

"Yes, Miss Sallianna, devotedly," said Ralph, recovering, in some
degree.

"I should think so."

"Why, madam?"

"From your visits."

"My visits?"

"Oh, yes--you are very sly!"

"Sly?--I?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Never!"

"I think you have grown fond of--"

"Yourself, madam?"

"La--no. I fear--"

"As I do--"

"That such a thing--"

"Is more than I could presume to do," said Ralph, laughing.

Miss Sallianna bestowed upon the young gentleman a look from her
maiden eyes, which seemed to say that he might presume to grow fond of
her, if it had really become necessary to his peace of mind.

"But I meant Fanny," she said.

"Fanny!"

"Yes, your cousin."

"A mere baby!" said Ralph, with nonchalance.

"I agree with you."

"Which I consider a circumstance of great encouragement, Miss
Sallianna. The fact is, Fanny is very well in her way, and in course
of time will make, no doubt, a very handsome woman. But at present I
only call to see her because I have nothing else to do."

"Indeed?"

"I am just from college."

"Yes