Scripture
hath it; you are not acquainted with the Scripture, Adonis, so there is
no earthly use in your putting on that look of keen intelligence. But
there may be balm in Gilead; I think Gilead may be in this very place
above our head, my Popolorum Tibby. Now, what is the matter with him?"

At this moment a sound was heard,--a bark, distant at first, but coming
momently nearer; a loud, joyous, inquiring bark. It was answered from
below by a sound combining bark, sneeze, and snort; there was a violent
shaking of the branches, and, next moment, a brown and white setter
sprang out from under the wall, and stood at gaze. Another instant, and
a second dog, his exact image, appeared on the brow of the slope,
careering toward him. There was a rapturous duet of barking and
sneezing, and then the two swept away over the brow, and were gone.

"That is the most heartless puppy I ever saw," the voice said, slowly.
"A woodchuck, I suppose. 'Twas ever thus. The moral is, don't make love
to strange puppies, however beautiful; but he was lovely, and he
understood me. No more of him! The question is, what should I find at
the top of this beanstalk--I should say, willow-tree? There is
an--answer to--every question--if--you only ask it--quick enough!"

The last words were spoken so low that Hugh did not catch their import.
Alarmed, however, by the continued rustling of the willow branches, he
rose hurriedly to his feet, and was about to steal away as quietly as
might be; but at that moment a hand was laid on the coping of the
wall,--a brown hand, slender but muscular; the next moment an arm
followed, and a young woman swung herself across the opening, and,
leaning on the wall, looked full in his face.

It was the vision of an instant only; the lithe figure, the face full of
careless power, the deep-set blue eyes, startling into black as they met
his, while the slender brows met above them in angry amazement; then one
hand reached back to the willow branch, the girl dropped from sight, and
he heard her rustle from branch to branch, and then heard the light,
swift sound of running feet through the fern, and dying away in the
distance.

* * * * *

"Is this a pleasant neighborhood, Margaret?" asked Hugh, as they sat on
the verandah after dinner. "Have you any pleasant--a--friends, of your
own age?"

"None of my own age," said Margaret. "Indeed, our only near neighbor is
Mrs. Peyton, an invalid lady, wh