a relief, and she felt grateful for Professor Hurlbut's
arrival. Chiropodist though he was, he must not suffer for her sake.

"Here!" said she, lifting the umbrella, "it will shelter us both.
Quick! I insist upon it:" seeing that he hesitated.

There was really no time for parley, for every drop pierced him to the
skin, and the next moment found him planted before her, interposing a
double shield. His tender anxiety for her sake quite softened Bertha.
How ungrateful she had been!

"This is the second time I am obliged to you to-day, Sir," said she.
"I am sorry that I have unintentionally given you trouble."

"Oh, Miss Morris," cried the delighted Bartlett, "don't mention it!
It's nothing; I am quite amphibious, you know."

"You might be now in a place of shelter but for me," she answered,
penitently.

"I'd rather be here than any where else!" he exclaimed, in a burst of
candor which quite overleaped the barrier of self-possession and came
down on the other side. "If you would allow me to be your friend, Miss
Morris--if you would permit me to--to speak with you now and then;
if--if--" Here he paused, not knowing precisely what more to say, yet
feeling that he had already said enough to make his meaning clear.

Bertha was cruelly embarrassed, but only for a moment. Professor
Hurlbut had at least been frank and honest in his avowal--she felt his
sincerity through and through--and he deserved equal honesty at her
hands.

"I am your debtor," said she, in an uncertain voice; "and you have a
right to expect gratitude, at least, from me. I can not, therefore,
refuse your acquaintance, though, as you know, your--your occupation
would be considered objectionable by many persons."

"My occupation!"

"Your profession, then. I must candidly confess that I have a
prejudice--a foolish one, perhaps, against it."

"My profession!" cried the astonished Bartlett; "why, I have none!"

"Well--it _is_ scarcely to be called a 'profession,' but it is always
liable to the charge of charlatanism: pardon me the word. And it may
be ridiculed in so many ways. I wish, for your sake--for I believe you
to be capable of better things--that you would adopt some other
business."

Mr. Bartlett's amazement was now beyond all bounds, "Good Heavens!" he
exclaimed, "Miss Morris, what do you mean?"

Starting up from the bench as he uttered these words he jostled
Bertha's book from her hand. The leaves parted in falling, and a large