ll into a conversation which was very
soon led by Josephine into the direction she wished. Not, however, until
she had propitiated the demon of mischief within her, by making an
onslaught upon a daguerreotype which she had found in one of the drawers
of the bureau in her room during an imprudent "rummage" before
breakfast. A few sly hits at the appearance of the face there depicted,
brought a sudden flush to the face of little Susy; and not long elapsed
before they elicited the information, given through deeper and warmer
blushes, that she was under an engagement of marriage to the young man
whose portrait was thus made a hidden treasure--that he was an engineer
on a distant railroad, who could only make his visits to West Falls at
intervals of a month or two--and that they were to be married sometime
during the ensuing year, if life and health would permit. Simple
Susy!--what a pity that she could not have been informed of some of the
events in the life of her cousin which had occurred during the previous
few days--especially of the "friends" who had accompanied her to Utica!
In that case it is just possible that the blushes might have been
duplicated, though no corresponding confidence could have been elicited,
for the best of all reasons. As it was, Susan had nothing to do but to
pour out the one life-secret of her innocent heart, receiving nothing in
return but a peal or two of merry laughter and a final assurance that
"he would do," and that "he was not so _very_ homely and awkward, after
all!"

When she had reduced her cousin to that state of defencelessness and
subserviency, Pussy Harris (as we have before had occasion to call her)
suspended amusement, went into business, and commenced her round of
enquiries.

A quarter of a mile away, in full sight of the grounds in the
neighborhood of the barn, from its elevated position near the top of a
gently-swelling knoll, a little separated from the main chain of hills
that stretched away eastward--stood a large two-story farm-house, a
little old and Dutch in its appearance, but thrifty-looking and
suggesting that the man who made it a residence was the owner of many
broad acres. This appearance was very much added to by the size and
extent of the barns and out-houses; and the impression of age and
stability was enhanced by the fine old trees which surrounded the yards
and added so much to the pleasantness of the situation. From her old
memory of the place, and of conve