day being an Italian
holiday and so no school, and as there is a possibility I shall soon
leave the city for an extended season, I have been unable to devise
any other means of declaring myself before the time for my departure.
Pray pardon me for the abruptness and importunity of my declaration,
pray forgive me for the unusual way which I have taken to secure an
interview alone with you. But if you only knew the ardor of my love,
my impatience--oh, would that our union could be effected this very
night!"

Ravished by the elegance of the stranger both in his outward seeming
and his converse, melted by the warmth of a romantic devotion almost
unknown in these degenerate days, though common enough of yore, Miss
Almira paused a moment in the proud compliance of one about to gladly
bestow an inestimable, but hardly hoped-for gift, and crying, "It can
be done, it shall be done," threw herself into the cavalier's arms.

"How so?" asked the stranger, after Miss Almira had disengaged herself
at the elapse of a proper interval.

"Why, the Rev. Eusebius Williams has the next room. We will call him."

"But," said the stranger, "I thought the occupant of the next room was
Mr. Algernon Tibbs, a gentleman from the country, who has recently
sold a large number of hogs here in the city and has been ill in his
room for a space by reason of a contusion on the head from a gold
brick, which was, so to speak, twice thrown at his head, once
figuratively as a ridiculously fine bargain which he refused to take,
and again when the owner, angered, struck him with the rejected gold."

"I see," said Miss Almira archly, "that in planning for this, you have
tried to study the lay of the land; but be gratified, sir, for the
lucky chance which prevented a sad mistake. Mr. Tibbs and I do occupy
adjoining rooms. But the one Mr. Tibbs occupies is really mine. To-day
we exchanged and I will remain here for the four or five days Mr.
Tibbs is to be in the city. He has a large sum of money in his
possession, so we all infer. At any rate, he was afraid to sleep in
this room, where there is a fire escape at the window, and took mine,
where an unscalable wall prevents access. Suppose the Italian holiday
had been last night and you had come then. He would then have taken
you for a robber, notwithstanding that anybody could see you are a
gentleman."

For the first time did Miss Almira become conscious she was not robed
as one should be while receiving calle