r. He knew
that she considered herself, and was considered by another, as pledged
and plighted. Yet she was such a devoted listener, her sympathies were
so easily roused, her blue eyes glistened so tenderly at the least
poetical hint, such as "Never, oh never," "My aching heart," "Go, let
me weep,"--any of those touching phrases out of the long catalogue which
readily suggests itself, that her influence was getting to be such
that Myrtle (if really anxious to secure him) might look upon it
with apprehension, and the owner of Susan's heart (if of a jealous
disposition) might have thought it worth while to make a visit to Oxbow
Village to see after his property.

It may seem not impossible that some friend had suggested as much as
this to the young lady's lover.

The caution would have been unnecessary, or at least premature. Susan
was loyal as ever to her absent friend. Gifted Hopkins had never yet
presumed upon the familiar relations existing between them to attempt to
shake her allegiance. It is quite as likely, after all, that the young
gentleman about to make his appearance in Oxbow Village visited the
place of his own accord, without a hint from anybody. But the fact
concerns us more than the reason of it, just now.

"Who do you think is coming, Mr. Gridley? Who do you think is coming?"
said Susan Posey, her face covered with a carnation such as the first
season may see in a city belle, but not the second.

"Well, Susan Posey, I suppose I must guess, though I am rather slow at
that business. Perhaps the Governor. No, I don't think it can be the
Governor, for you would n't look so happy if it was only his Excellency.
It must be the President, Susan Posey,--President James Buchanan. Have
n't I guessed right, now, tell me, my dear?"

"O Mr. Gridley, you are too bad,--what do I care for governors and
presidents? I know somebody that's worth fifty million thousand
presidents,--and he 's coming,--my Clement is coming," said Susan, who
had by this time learned to consider the awful Byles Gridley as her next
friend and faithful counsellor.

Susan could not stay long in the house after she got her note informing
her that her friend was soon to be with her. Everybody told everything
to Olive Eveleth, and Susan must run over to the parsonage to tell her
that there was a young gentleman coming to Oxbow Village; upon which
Olive asked who it was, exactly as if she did not know; whereupon Susan
dropped her eyes and said, "