"

"I hope I shall; but I can tell you this, that if I do make a mistake,
at all events my husband will find that he has made a mistake also.
There's a little lurking devil in me, which, if roused up by bad
treatment, would, I expect, make me more than a match for him. I'm
almost sorry that I've so much money of my own, for I suspect every man
who says anything pretty to me; and there are but few in this world who
would scorn to marry for money."

"I believe so, Melissa; but your person would be quite sufficient
without fortune."

"Thanks, coz; for a woman that's very handsome of you. And so now we
will begin our new book."

Miss Melissa now commenced reading; and Spikeman, who had not yet seen
the faces of the two young ladies, crept softly nearer to the side of
the copse, so as to enable him to satisfy his curiosity. In this
position he remained nearly an hour; when the book was closed, and the
young ladies returned to the house, Melissa again singing as she went.

"Joey," said Spikeman, "I did not think that there was such a woman in
existence as that girl; she is just the idea that I have formed of what
a woman ought to be; I must find out who she is; I am in love with her,
and--"

"Mean to make her a tinker's bride," replied Joey, laughing.

"Joey, I shall certainly knock you down, if you apply that term to her.
Come let us go to the village,--it is close at hand."

As soon as they arrived at the village, Spikeman went into the alehouse.
During the remainder of the day he was in a brown study, and Joey
amused himself with a book. At nine o'clock the company had all quitted
the tap-room, and then Spikeman entered into conversation with the
hostess. In the course of conversation, she informed him that the
mansion belonged to Squire Mathews, who had formerly been a great
manufacturer, and who had purchased the place; that the old gentleman
had long suffered from the gout, and saw no company, which was very bad
for the village; that Miss Melissa was his daughter, and he had a son,
who was with his regiment in India, and, it was said, not on very good
terms with his father; that the old gentleman was violent and choleric
because he was always in pain; but that every one spoke well of Miss
Melissa and Miss Araminta, her cousin, who were both very kind to the
poor people. Having obtained these particulars, Spikeman went to bed:
he slept little that night, as Joey, who was his bedfellow, could vouch
for; fo