le--which only lay a short distance from
his new quarters--he would come round; and, after spending an hour or
two with me, when he would conscientiously insist on going through the
entire round of his accomplishments without any invitation on my part,
as if to show that he yet retained his early instructions well in mind,
he would return to Min's house, and the no less warm affection that
awaited him there.

This was the little present that I intended for a birthday gift to my
darling: one that I valued beyond gold. The very next afternoon I
carried him round to her in my coat-pocket--he having a tiny cage that
just fitted into it comfortably "to a _t_."

Fortunately, I found Min alone in the drawing-room, when I was ushered
in. She was sitting on the sofa reading, and, although she rose up on
my entrance, she only bowed, looking distant, and somewhat embarrassed.

This did not look well for my chances of forgiveness, and for getting
her to accept Dicky Chips, did it?

I went up to her impulsively.

"Min!" I exclaimed, "can you, will you, excuse and forgive me for
acting so rudely last night? I cannot forgive myself; and I shall be
miserable till you pardon me!"

She looked down gravely a minute.

"What made you so naughty, sir?" she asked at length, looking up again
with a dancing light in the clear grey eyes, and a smile on her pretty
little mouth.

"I thought that you did not want me, Min; and I wished myself away, when
I saw you speaking to every one else that came, as if you did not care
to speak to me. I was very unhappy, and--"

"Oh, Frank!" she said; "unhappy!"

"Yes," I said, "I was never more so in my life. I believed you
preferred speaking to Mr Mawley and Horner, to talking to me, and I
thought it very unkind of you."

"Well, do not think so again, sir," she said, with such a pretty
affectation of sternness, and laughing one of her light, silvery laughs.

"And you did not wish me away?" I asked, anxiously.

"Of course not," she answered. "Why should I have done so? You would
not have been invited, sir, if your noble presence had not been wished
for, Master Frank."

"And you didn't care so much for Mawley after all?" I continued,
rendered bolder by her changed manner.

"You must not ask too many questions, sir!" she said. "This just shows
how very unreasonable you were! How could I have neglected everybody
else to speak to you, only, all the evening; what would they have
thoug