,--one o' them
Darringers,--abaout as long as your thumb, an' fire a bullet as big as a
p'tatah-ball,--'a fellah carries one in his breeches-pocket, an' shoots
y' right threugh his own pahnts, withaout ever takin' on it aout of his
pocket. The stable-keeper, who, it may be remembered, once exchanged
a few playful words with Mr. Gridley, got a hint from some of these
unfeeling young men, and offered the resources of his stable to the
youth supposed to be in peril.

"I 've got a faast colt, Mr. Hopkins, that 'll put twenty mild betwixt
you an' this here village, as quick as any four huffs 'll dew it in this
here caounty, if you should want to get away suddin. I've heern tell
there was some lookin' raound here that wouldn't be wholesome to
meet,--jest say the word, Mr. Hopkins, an' I 'll have ye on that are
colt's back in less than no time, an' start ye off full jump. There's a
good many that's kind o' worried for fear something might happen to ye,
Mr. Hopkins,--y' see fellahs don't like to have other chaps cuttin' on
'em aout with their gals."

Gifted Hopkins had become excessively nervous by this time. It is true
that everything in his intimacy with Susan Posey, so far, might
come under the general head of friendship; but he was conscious
that something more was in both their thoughts. Susan had given him
mysterious hints that her relations with Clement had undergone a change,
but had never had quite courage enough, perhaps had too much delicacy,
to reveal the whole truth.

Gifted was walking home, deeply immersed in thoughts excited by
the hints which hail been thus wantonly thrown out to inflame his
imagination, when all at once, on lifting his eyes, he saw Clement
Lindsay coming straight towards him. Gifted was unarmed, except with a
pair of blunt scissors, which he carried habitually in his pocket. What
should he do? Should he fly? But he was never a good runner, being apt
to find himself scant o' breath, like Hamlet, after violent exercise.
His demeanor on the occasion did credit to his sense of his own virtuous
conduct and his self-possession. He put his hand out, while yet at a
considerable distance, and marched up towards Clement, smiling with all
the native amiability which belonged to him.

To his infinite relief, Clement put out his hand to grasp the one
offered him, and greeted the young poet in the most frank and cordial
manner.

"And how is Miss Susan Posey, Mr. Hopkins?" asked Clement, in the most
c