d
feel if _I_ had been the one to give the citizens of Halifax such a grand
idea of what the lost species are like; and how generous of you, too, to
give a free exhibition of yourself, in your proper form, when you might
have gone to the dime museum and earned a fortune!"

Plaisted felt too wrathy to reply, but he gave her a look that was meant to
annihilate her; then turning to Gussie, who seemed to sympathize with him,
said,

"I met those Desbrasy girls as I was coming up the street, and I do believe
they saw it. Confound the thing! I remember now that they pulled out their
handkerchiefs directly I bowed. I daresay they were laughing at me!"

"Laughing! not they!" put in Dexie. "They happened to see your feet, and
were weeping with envy because theirs were so much bigger! Don't fret, Mr.
Plaisted, you are not worth looking at without this finishing touch," and
with a scornful laugh she passed out of the room, slamming the door behind
her.

Plaisted drew a sigh of relief when his tormentor vanished.

"Bless my soul! what a tongue that girl has," and he wiped the perspiration
from his brow. "I hope she don't often let her temper loose like that."

"Well, no; but you have only yourself to blame for it, and I was almost
going to say that it serves you right, too."

"Why! how's that?" said Plaisted, in surprise.

"Well, you know very well that you have tormented Dexie about Lancy Gurney
till you have aroused her temper quite often; but you might have escaped if
you had not insulted her just now."

"Insult her! How, pray? I'm sure I did not."

"You called her 'Dexter,' and that is a name she can't stand from anybody.
I believe she would have taken off those rags for you if you had spoken to
her as 'Dexie,' for she really is obliging, you know, though she did enjoy
seeing you made an April fool."

"Bless my soul! I never noticed that I called her Dexter; and so that was
the spark that caused the explosion? Well, I shall not forget it in a
hurry."

"She generally succeeds in paying back, with double interest, anyone who
uses that name to her, as I know to my sorrow," said Gussie, with a shake
of her head. "Yet, after all, I don't blame her much, either; but it is the
one spot in her make-up that seems vulnerable."

"Well, it is a good thing that I am going away so soon. I expect she will
make it hot for me while I am here."

"Oh, no! I guess you are safe, Mr. Plaisted. The storm is over for this
time, unless