and then, without relaxing its tense attitude,
the cat by almost imperceptible degrees withdrew one paw and then
another, and, thus backing out of the corn-patch, turned around when at
a safe distance and slunk away.

A few minutes later a dog, that enthusiast in perfumes, jumped through
the fence and trotted across the melon-patch, his nose to the ground,
making a collection of evening smells. Arthur expected nothing but that
he would scent his neighborhood, find him out, and set up a barking.
But, chancing to strike the cat's trail, off went the dog on a full run
with nose to the ground.

Such were the varying humors of the night. After the episode of the dog,
feeling a little chilly, Arthur enveloped himself in the tattered old
overcoat and must have dropped into a nap. Suddenly he awoke. Within
ten feet of him, just in the act of stooping over a huge melon, was a
woman's figure. He saw the face clearly as she rose. Immortal gods! it
was--But I am anticipating.

The discipline at Westville Seminary had been shockingly lax since the
long illness of the principal had left the easy-going first assistant
teacher at the head of affairs. The girls ran all over the rules,--had
private theatricals, suppers, and games of all sorts in their rooms at
all hours of day or night. In the course of the evening whose events in
another sphere of life have been narrated, several girls called at Lina
Maynard's room to notify her of the "spread" at Nell Barber's, No. 49,
at eleven o'clock. They found her sitting in a low rocking-chair, with
an open letter in her hand and a very pensive, discontented expression
of countenance.

"Does he press for an answer, Lina? We 're just in time to advise you,"
cried Nell Barber.

"Don't say Yes unless his eyes are blue," drawled a brunette.

"Unless they 're black, you mean," sharply amended a bright blonde.

"Make him elope with you," suggested Nell, "It will be such fun to have a
real rope-ladder elopement at the Seminary, and we'll all sit up and see
it."

"Oh, do, do, Lina!" chorused the others.

But Lina, apparently too much chagrined at something to be in a mood for
jests, sat with her eyebrows petulantly contracted, her feet thrust out,
and the hand holding the letter hanging by her side, her whole attitude
indicating despondence.

"Still pensive! It can't be he's faithless!" exclaimed Nell.

"Faithless to those eyes! I should say not," cried the blonde, whom Lina
called her swe