aking which was a little
more effusive than was usual with her, drove herself to Lethbury. If the
sorrel horse had behaved badly in the early part of that afternoon, he
was punished for it in the early part of that evening, for he completely
broke all previous records of time made between the Squirrel Inn and
Lethbury.

Thus the hopes of Miss Calthea had been doubly darkened; the pariah with
the brimstone blossoms had not only treacherously deserted Lanigan, but
had made Mr. Tippengray treacherously desert her. She had been furiously
angry; now she was low-spirited and cross. But one thing in the world
could have then cheered her spirits, and that would have been the sight
of her bitterest enemy and Lanigan Beam driving or walking together past
her shop door; but when Lanigan alone entered that shop door she was not
cheered at all.

Mr. Beam's greeting was very free and unceremonious, and without being
asked to do so he took a seat near the proprietress of the
establishment.

"Well, well," he said, "this looks like old times. Why, Calthy, I don't
believe you have sold a thing since I was here last."

"If you had any eyes in your head," said Miss Calthea, severely, "you
would see that I have sold a great deal. Nearly everything, in fact."

"That proves my point," said Lanigan; "for nearly everything was gone
when I left."

"And some of the things that are gone," said she, "you still owe me
for."

"Well put, Calthy," said Lanigan, laughing; "and after that, let's drop
the business. What's new and what's stale in Lethbury?"

"You are about the newest as well as the stalest thing here," said she.

Lanigan whistled. "Calthy," said he, "would you mind my smoking a cigar
here! There will be no customers coming in."

"You know very well you cannot smoke here," she said; "what is the
matter with you? Has that pincushion-faced child's nurse driven you from
the inn?"

A pang went through Lanigan. Was Calthea jealous of Miss Mayberry on his
account? The thought frightened him. If he could have said anything
which would have convinced Calthea that he was on the point of marrying
Miss Mayberry, and that therefore she might as well consider everything
at an end between herself and him, he would have said it. But he merely
replied:

"She is a nice girl, and very much given to learning."

Now Miss Calthea could restrain herself no longer.

"Learning!" she exclaimed. "Stuff and deception! Impudent flirting is
what she