ty and laughs; then at Miss Lavinia.

"So, it seems," he says, "that Mr. Roundjacket counsels a bachelor
life, eh? Good! he is a worthy professor, but an indifferent
practitioner. The rascal! Did you ever hear of such a thing, Lavinia?
I declare, if I were a lady, I should decline to recognize, among my
acquaintances, the upholder of such doctrines--especially when he
poisons the ears of boys like Verty with them!"

And the Squire continues to laugh.

"Perhaps," says Miss Lavinia, with stately dignity, and glancing at
Verty as she speaks,--"perhaps the--hem--circumstances which induced
Mr. Roundjacket to give the advice, might have been--been--peculiar."

And Miss Lavinia smooths down her black silk with dignity.

"Peculiar?"

"Yes," says the lady, glancing this time at Redbud.

"How was it, Verty?" the Squire says, turning to the young man.

Verty, conscious of his secret, blushes and stammers; for how can he
tell the Squire that Mr. Roundjacket and himself were discussing the
propriety of his marrying Redbud? He is no longer the open, frank, and
fearless Verty of old days--he has become a dissembler, for he is in
love.

"I don't know--oh, sir--I could'nt--Mr. Roundjacket--"

The Squire laughs.

"There's some secret here," he says; "out with it, Verty, or it
will choke you. Come, Rushton, you are an adept--cross-examine the
witness."

Mr. Rushton growls.

"You won't--then I will."

"Perhaps the time, and the subject of conversation, might aid you,"
says Miss Lavinia, who is nettled at Verty, and thus is guily of what
she is afterwards ashamed of.

"A good idea," says the Squire; "and I am pleased to see, Lavinia,
that you take so much interest in Verty and Mr. Roundjacket."

Miss Lavinia blushes, and looks solemn and stiff.

"Hum!" continues the Squire. "Oyez! the court is opened! First
witness, Mr. Verty! Where, sir, did this conversation occur?"

Verty smiles and colors.

"At Mr. Roundjacket's, sir," he replies.

"The hour, as near as you can recollect."

"In the forenoon, sir."

"Were there any circumstances which tend to fix the hour, and the day,
in your mind?"

"Yes, sir."

"What were they?"

"I recollect that Miss Lavinia called to see Mr. Roundjacket that day,
sir; and as she generally comes into town on Tuesday or Wednesday,
soon after breakfast it must have been--"

Verty is interrupted by a chair pushed back from the table. It is Miss
Lavinia, who, rising, with a freezing