nd your lady. We promise ourselves much pleasure in having you for
neighbours. Mrs. Halpin and I will take a very early opportunity to
call upon you. How is all your family?"

"Quite well, I thank you," replied Mr. Bolton, trying to appear polite
and pleased, yet half averting his face from the earnest eyes of Mr.
Halpin.

"We have had a beautiful day," said the latter, who perceived that,
from some cause, Mr. Bolton was not at ease.

"Very beautiful," was the brief answer.

"You have been into the city," said Mr. Halpin, after a brief pause.

"Yes, I had some business that made it necessary for me to go into
town."--Another silence.

"You have a beautiful farm. One of the finest in the neighbourhood,"
said Mr. Halpin.

"Yes, it is choice land," returned the unhappy Mr. Bolton.

"The place has been a little neglected since the last occupant left,"
continued Mr. Halpin. "And since your purchase of it, some ill-disposed
persons have trespassed on the premises. Day before yesterday, as I was
passing along the lower edge of your farm,--you know that, through some
ill-contrivance, my right of way to the public road is across the south
edge of your premises. But we will talk of that some other time. It's
not a good arrangement at all, and cannot but be annoying to you. I
shall make some proposition, before long, about purchasing a narrow
strip of ground and fencing it in as a road. But of that another time.
We shall not quarrel about it. Well, as I was saying, day before
yesterday, as I was passing along the lower edge of your farm, I saw a
man deliberately break a large branch from a choice young plum-tree, in
full blossom, near your house, that only came into bearing last year. I
was terribly vexed about it, and rode up to remonstrate with him. At
first, he seemed disposed to resent my interference with his right to
destroy my neighbour's property. But, seeing that I was not in a temper
to be trifled with, he took himself off. I then went back home, and
sent one of my lads over, in company with a couple of good dogs, and
put the property in their charge. I found all safe when I returned in
the evening."

"It was kind in you--very kind!" returned Mr. Bolton. He could say no
less. But, oh! how rebuked and dissatisfied he felt.

"About that right of way," he stammered out, after a brief silence,
partly averting his eyes as he spoke. "I--I"--

"Oh, we'll not speak of that now," returned Mr. Halpin cheerfully.
"Let