single escort, not to return
until far into the night, was the common privilege of any young lady,
and therefore there was no difficulty about obtaining either her consent
or that of her parents to my proposition.

"We set off just at sunset, riding along the beach some distance,
admiring the gorgeous western sky, the peaceful sea, and watching the
sand-pipers skating out on the wet sands after every receding wave. I
had never seen Teresa more beautiful, more sparkling, or more
fascinating in every way; and my heart grew 'very little' as the Indians
say. It was impossible to accuse her even in my thoughts, while under
that bewitching influence. She was so full of life and vivacity that she
did not observe the forced demeanor I wore, or if she did, had too much
tact to seem to do so. As for me, guarded both by my hidden suspicions
and by my promise to my friends, I uttered no word of tenderness or
admiration with my tongue, whatever my eyes may have betrayed.

"The road we were going led past my house. When we were almost abreast
of it I informed Teresa that there were some of our friends waiting for
us there, and invited her to alight. Without suspicion she did
so.----Don't look at me that way, if you can help it. It was terribly
mean of us fellows, as I see it now. It looked differently then; and we
had none of us seen much of the world and were rude in our notions of
propriety.

"When she came inside of the house and saw only three men in place of
the girls of her acquaintance she expected to meet, she cast a rapid,
surprised glance all round, blushed, asked, 'where are the girls?'--all
in the most natural manner. There was positively nothing in her
deportment to betray a guilty conscience. I recognized that, and so, I
could see, did Darling. He made haste to hand her a chair, which she
declined, still looking about her with a puzzled, questioning air. I was
getting nervous already over my share in the business, and so plunged at
once into explanation.

"'Teresa,' I said, 'we four fellows have made a singular discovery,
recently, to the effect that we each believed himself to be your
accepted lover. We have met together to hear your explanation. Is there
a man in the house you are engaged to?"

"She gave one quick, scrutinizing glance at our faces, and read in them
that we were in earnest. Indeed, the scene would have given scope to the
genius of a Hogarth. Alternate red and white chased each other in quick
succ