e young man, with the clear sunshine streaming on
him joyfully, took his first lesson in human distress--a knowledge
which all must acquire at some period of their lives, sooner or later.
His mixture of emotions may be easily explained. He was astonished at
the extraordinary change in Redbud's whole demeanor; he felt deep pity
for the sickness which she had pleaded as an excuse for leaving him.
Love and distress clasped hands in his agitated heart, as he threw a
backward glance over the short interview which they had just held--and
all these feelings mingling together, and struggling each for the
mastery, made the young man's bosom heave, his forehead cloud over,
and his lips shake with deep, melancholy sighs.

Utterly unable to explain the coldness which Redbud had undoubtedly
exhibited, he could only suffer in silence.

Then, after some moments' thought, the idea occurred to him that Miss
Fanny--the smiling, obliging, the agreeable Miss Fanny--might clear
up the mystery, so he turned round toward her; but as he did so, the
young girl passed by him with stately dignity, and requesting, in a
cold tone, to be excused, as she was going to attend to her friend,
Miss Summers, sailed out of the room and disappeared.

Verty looked after her with deeper astonishment than before. Then
everybody disliked him--everybody avoided him: no doubt he had been
guilty of some terrible fault toward Redbud, and her friend knew it,
and would not stay in his presence.

What could that fault be? Not his costume--not the attempt he had
made to intrude upon her privacy. Certainly Redbud never would have
punished him so cruelly for such trifling things as these, conceding
that they were distasteful to her.

What, then, could be the meaning of all this?

Just as he asked himself the question for the sixth time, there
appeared at the door of the apartment no less a personage than Miss
Sallianna, who, ambling into the room with that portion of the head
which we have more than once mentioned, and the lackadaisical smile
which was habitual with her, approached Verty, and graciously extended
her yellow hand.

The young man took the extended member, and made a bow. Miss Sallianna
received it with a still more gracious smile, and asked Mr. Verty to
be seated.

He shook his head.

"I must go away, ma'am," he said, sadly; "Redbud has quarrelled with
me, and I cannot stay. Oh! what have I done to cause this!"

And Verty's head sank upon his bo