't give him credit before you hear all his proverb," said Jeff. "Do
you know what he said in the dining-room?"

"Don't credit _him_ at all," replied the Major. "Don't believe
him--don't listen to him. He is green with envy at my success." And the
old fellow shook with amusement.

"What did he say? Please tell me." She appealed to Jeff, and then as he
was about to speak, seeing the Major preparing to run, she caught him.
"No, you have to listen. Now tell me," to Jeff again.

"Well, he said honey caught lots of flies, and women lots of fools."

Rose fell back, and pointing her tapering finger at the Major, who, with
mock humility, was watching her closely, declared that she would "never
believe in him again." The old fellow met her with an unblushing denial
of ever having made such a statement or held such traitorous sentiments,
as it was, he maintained, a well established fact that flies never eat
honey at all.

From this moment the Major conceived the idea that Jeff had been caught
by his fair visitor. It had never occurred to him that any one could
aspire to Margaret's hand. He had thought at one time that Jeff was in
danger of falling a victim to the charms of the pretty daughter of an
old friend and neighbor of his, and though it appeared rather a pity
for a young fellow to fall in love "out of the State," yet the claims
of hospitality, combined with the fact that rivalry with Mr. Lawrence,
against whom, on account of his foppishness, he had conceived some
prejudice, promised a delightful excitement, more than counterbalanced
that objectionable feature. He therefore immediately constituted himself
Jeff's ardent champion, and always spoke of the latter's guest as "that
fellow Lawrence."

Accordingly, when, one afternoon, on his return from his ride, he found
Jeff, who had ridden over to tea, lounging around alone, in a state
of mind as miserable as a man should be who, having come with the
expectation of basking in the sunshine of Beauty's smile, finds that
Beauty is out horseback riding with a rival, he was impelled to give him
aid, countenance, and advice. He immediately attacked him, therefore,
on his forlorn and woebegone expression, and declared that at his age
he would have long ago run the game to earth, and have carried her home
across his saddle-bow.

"You are afraid, sir--afraid," he asserted, hotly. "I don't know what
you fellows are coming to."

Jeff admitted the accusation. "He feared," he said,