nooks in it
were occupied by one couple each. Leviticus was majestically
superintending the coming and going of three or four maid-servants. Just
as he gathered himself up to define a jamboree, Virginia happened in and
stood with a coffee-cup half wiped, eying him with quizzical
approbation.

"A jamboree? You want to know what constitutes a jamboree? Well--What
you want, Fudjinia?"

"Go on, seh, go on. Don't let me amba'as you. I wants jess on'y my civil
rights. Go on, seh." She set her arms akimbo.

"A jamboree!" repeated Leviticus, giving himself a yet more benevolent
dignity. "Well, you know, Miss Barb, to ev'ything they is a season, an'
a time to ev'y puppose. A wedd'n' is a wedd'n', a infare is a infare, a
Chris'mus dinneh is a Chris'mus dinneh! But now, when you come to a
jamboree--a jam--Fudjinia"--he smiled an affectionate persuasion--"we
ain't been appi'nted the chiefs o' this evenin's transactions to stan'
idlin' round, is we?"

"Go on, seh, go on."

"Well, you know, Mr. Fair, when we South'enehs speak of a jamboree, a
jamboree is any getherin' wherein the objec' o' the getherin' is the
puppose fo' which they come togetheh, an' the joy and the jumble ah
equal if not superiah to each otheh."

Virginia brought up a grunt from very far down, which might have been
either admiration or amusement. "Umph! dat is a jamboree, faw a fac'! I
wond' ef he git dat fum de books aw ef he pick it out'n his own
lahnin'?"

"Miss Garnet," said Fair, "there are wheels within wheels. I am having a
jamboree of my own."

LI.

BUSINESS

"This," replied Barbara, "has been a bright day for our whole town." And
then, more pensively, "They say you could have made it brighter."

Whereat the young man lowered his voice. "Miss Garnet, I had hoped I
could."

"And I had hoped you would."

"Miss Garnet, honestly, I'm glad I did not know it at the meeting. It
was hard enough to disappoint Mr. March; but to know that I was failing
to meet a hope of yours--"

Presently he added:

"Your hope implied a certain belief in me. Have I diminished that?"

"Why-y, no-o, Mr. Fair, you've rather aug-men-ted it."

He brightened almost playfully. "Miss Garnet, you give me more pleasure
than I can quietly confess."

"Why, I didn't intend to do that."

"To be trusted by you is a glad honor."

"Well, I do trust you, Mr. Fair. I'm trusting you now--to trust me--that
I really want to talk--man-talk. As a rule," continued Barbar