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in this evening was quite true," said her husband, slowly. "And what I've just told you is as true as what that lying old fortune-teller told you. You can please yourself what you believe." "I believe you, John," said his wife, humbly. Mr. Boxer's countenance cleared and he drew her on to his knee. "That's right," he said, cheerfully. "So long as you believe in me I don't care what other people think. And before I'm much older I'll find out how that old rascal got to know the names of the ships I was aboard. Seems to me somebody's been talking." BLUNDELL'S IMPROVEMENT Venia Turnbull in a quiet, unobtrusive fashion was enjoying herself. The cool living-room at Turnbull's farm was a delightful contrast to the hot sunshine without, and the drowsy humming of bees floating in at the open window was charged with hints of slumber to the middle-aged. From her seat by the window she watched with amused interest the efforts of her father--kept from his Sunday afternoon nap by the assiduous attentions of her two admirers--to maintain his politeness. "Father was so pleased to see you both come in," she said, softly; "it's very dull for him here of an afternoon with only me." [Illustration: "Father was so pleased to see you both come in," she said, softly."] "I can't imagine anybody being dull with only you," said Sergeant Dick Daly, turning a bold brown eye upon her. Mr. John Blundell scowled; this was the third time the sergeant had said the thing that he would have liked to say if he had thought of it. "I don't mind being dull," remarked Mr. Turnbull, casually. Neither gentleman made any comment. "I like it," pursued Mr. Turnbull, longingly; "always did, from a child." The two young men looked at each other; then they looked at Venia; the sergeant assumed an expression of careless ease, while John Blundell sat his chair like a human limpet. Mr. Turnbull almost groaned as he remembered his tenacity. "The garden's looking very nice," he said, with a pathetic glance round. "Beautiful," assented the sergeant. "I saw it yesterday." "Some o' the roses on that big bush have opened a bit more since then," said the farmer. Sergeant Daly expressed his gratification, and said that he was not surprised. It was only ten days since he had arrived in the village on a visit to a relative, but in that short space of time he had, to the great discomfort of Mr. Blundell, made himself wonderfully
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