you prefer, for I do
feel most respectul--reverent--"

He was so very earnest and so really troubled, and he stumbled about
so for the right word, and hit upon the wrong one with such unfailing
disaster, that she must have been superhuman not to laugh. Her laughing
seemed to relieve him even more than her hearty speech. "Call me how you
like, Mr. Libby. I don't insist upon anything with you; but I believe I
prefer Miss Breen."

"You're very kind! Miss Breen it is, then. And you'll, forgive my siding
against you?" he demanded radiantly.

"Don't speak of that again, please. I've nothing to forgive you."

They walked down-stairs and out on the piazza. Barlow stood before the
steps, holding by the bit a fine bay mare, who twitched her head round
a little at the sound of Libby's voice, and gave him a look. He passed
without noticing the horse. "I'm glad to find Mrs. Maynard so well. With
that cold of hers, hanging on so long, I didn't know but she'd be in an
awful state this morning."

"Yes," said Grace, "it's a miraculous escape."

"The fact is I sent over to New Leyden for my team yesterday. I did n't
know how things might turn out, and you're so far from a lemon here,
that I thought I might be useful in going errands."

Grace turned her head and glanced at the equipage. "Is that your team?"

"Yes," said the young fellow, with a smile of suppressed pride.

"What an exquisite creature!" said the girl.

"ISN'T she?" They both faced about, and stood looking at the mare,
and the light, shining, open buggy behind her. The sunshine had the
after-storm glister; the air was brisk, and the breeze blew balm from
the heart of the pine forest. "Miss Breen," he broke out, "I wish you'd
take a little dash through the woods with me. I've got a broad-track
buggy, that's just right for these roads. I don't suppose it's the thing
at all to ask you, on such short acquaintance, but I wish you would. I
know you'd enjoy it: Come?"

His joyous urgence gave her a strange thrill. She had long ceased
to imagine herself the possible subject of what young ladies call
attentions, and she did not think of herself in that way now. There
was something in the frank, eager boyishness of the invitation that
fascinated her, and the sunny face turned so hopefully upon her had its
amusing eloquence. She looked about the place with an anxiety of which
she was immediately ashamed: all the ladies were out of sight, and
probably at the foot of the cl