rivate interview of the baroness so significantly
and unceremoniously that Rose had no alternative but to retire, but not
without a glance of defiance at the bear. She ran straight, without her
bonnet, into the Pleasaunce to slake her curiosity at Josephine. That
young lady was walking pensively, but turned at sight of Rose, and the
sisters came together with a clash of tongues.

"O Rose! he has"--

"Oh!"

So nimbly does the female mind run on its little beaten tracks, that it
took no more than those syllables for even these innocent young women to
communicate that Raynal had popped.

Josephine apologized for this weakness in a hero. "It wasn't his fault,"
said she. "It is your Edouard who set him to do it."

"My Edouard? Don't talk in that horrid way: I have no Edouard. You said
'no' of course."

"Something of the kind."

"What, did you not say 'no' plump?"

"I did not say it brutally, dear."

"Josephine, you frighten me. I know you can't say 'no' to any one; and
if you don't say 'no' plump to such a man as this, you might as well say
'yes.'"

"Well, love," said Josephine, "you know our mother will relieve me of
this; what a comfort to have a mother!"

They waited for Raynal's departure, to go to the baroness. They had
to wait a long time. Moreover, when he did leave the chateau he came
straight into the Pleasaunce. At sight of him Rose seized Josephine
tight and bade her hold her tongue, as she could not say "no" plump
to any one. Josephine was far from raising any objection to the
arrangement.

"Monsieur," said Rose, before he could get a word out, "even if she had
not declined, I could not consent."

Raynal tapped his forehead reflectively, and drew forth from memory that
he had no instructions whatever to ask HER consent.

She colored high, but returned to the charge.

"Is her own consent to be dispensed with too? She declined the honor,
did she not?"

"Of course she did; but this was anticipated in my instructions. I am to
be sure and not take the first two or three refusals."

"O Josephine, look at that insolent boy: he has found you out."

"Insolent boy!" cried Raynal; "why, it is the referee of your own
choosing, and as well behaved a lad as ever I saw, and a zealous
officer."

"My kind friends," put in Josephine with a sweet languor, "I cannot let
you quarrel about a straw."

"It is not about a straw," said Raynal, "it is about you."

"The distinction involves a compliment, sir," s