ss for
Maud, and now that this question was put to him by the agitated girl,
his vanity would not suffer him to imagine that any one but himself was
the subject of her dreams. There was, to him, nothing especially out of
the way in this sort of indirect proposal on the part of a young woman.
It was entirely in keeping with the general tone of sentiment among the
people of his circle, which aimed at nothing less than the emancipation
of the world from its old-fashioned decencies.

But he would not answer hastily; he had a coward's caution. He looked a
moment at the girl's brilliant color, her quick, high breathing, her
eager eyes, with a gloating sense of his good luck. But he wanted her
thoroughly committed. So he said, with an air in which there was
already something offensively protecting:

"Well, Miss Matchin, that depends on the speer. If the affection be
unilateral, it is one thing; if it be recippercal, it is another. The
currents of soul works in different ways."

"But what I mean is, if a young lady likes a young gentleman pretty
well, how is she going to find out for sure whether he likes her?" She
went intrepidly through these words, though her cheeks were burning,
and her eyes would fall in spite of her, and her head was singing.

There was no longer any doubt in Bott's mind. He was filled with an
insolent triumph, and thought only of delaying as long as possible the
love chase of which he imagined himself the object. He said, slowly and
severely:

"The question is too imperious to be answered in haste. I will put
myself in the hands of the sperruts, and answer it as they choose after
the intermission."

He rose and bowed, and went to speak a word or two to his other
visitors. Sam came back and took his seat by Maud, and said:

"I think the fun is about over. Less go home."

"Go home yourself, if you want to," was the petulant reply. "I am going
to stay for the inspirational discourse."

"Oh, my!" said Sam. "That's a beautiful word. You don't know how pretty
your mouth looks when you say that." Sam had had his beer, and was
brave and good-natured.

Bott retired once more behind the railing, but took his seat in a chair
outside the curtain, in full view of the audience. He sat for some
minutes motionless, staring at vacancy. He then slowly closed his eyes,
and a convulsive shudder ran through his frame. This was repeated at
rapid intervals, with more or less violence. He next passed his hands
alte