hin the limits of becoming mirth,
I never spent an hour's talk withal."
--Love's Labour's Last.

I HAD a client in R---- by the name of Monell; and it was from him I
had planned to learn the best way of approaching Mrs. Belden. When,
therefore, I was so fortunate as to meet him, almost on my arrival,
driving on the long road behind his famous trotter Alfred, I regarded
the encounter as a most auspicious beginning of a very doubtful
enterprise.

"Well, and how goes the day?" was his exclamation as, the first
greetings passed, we drove rapidly into town.

"Your part in it goes pretty smoothly," I returned; and thinking I could
never hope to win his attention to my own affairs till I had satisfied
him in regard to his, I told him all I could concerning the law-suit
then pending; a subject so prolific of question and answer, that we
had driven twice round the town before he remembered he had a letter to
post. As it was an important one, admitting of no delay, we hasted at
once to the post-office, where he went in, leaving me outside to watch
the rather meagre stream of goers and comers who at that time of day
make the post-office of a country town their place of rendezvous. Among
these, for some reason, I especially noted one middle-aged woman; why, I
cannot say; her appearance was anything but remarkable. And yet when she
came out, with two letters in her hand, one in a large and one in might
be induced to give a bed to a friend of mine who is very anxious to be
near the post-office on account of a business telegram he is expecting,
and which when it comes will demand his immediate attention. And Mr.
Monell gave me a sly wink of his eye, little imagining how near the mark
he had struck.

"You need not say that. Tell her I have a peculiar dislike to sleeping
in a public house, and that you know of no one better fitted to
accommodate me, for the short time I desire to be in town, than
herself."

"And what will be said of my hospitality in allowing you under these
circumstances to remain in any other house than my own?"

"I don't know; very hard things, no doubt; but I guess your hospitality
can stand it."

"Well, if you persist, we will see what can be done." And driving up to
a neat white cottage of homely, but sufficiently attractive appearance,
he stopped.

"This is her house," said he, jumping to the ground; "let's go in and
see what we can do."

Glancing up at the windows, which were all closed