those
beautiful blossoms--look how they cluster on the boughs, and what a
sweet perfume!"

"Very sweet."

"Then another drawback of summer is its dust. I hate dust; and it is
already beginning to invade my hands."

"Wear gloves then, Charles," said Mowbray, smiling at the boyish
_naivete_ of his companion's tone.

"I'd like to know how I can, without the money to buy them," said
Hoffland; "you are very unreasonable, Mr. Mowbray!"

Mowbray smiled.

"Have you none?" he said.

"Not a penny--at the moment. My supplies have not reached my new
address."

And Hoffland laughed.

"Let me lend you some. How much will you have? We are friends, you
know, Charles, and you can have no feelings of delicacy in borrowing
from me. See," said Mowbray, taking out his purse, "I have a plenty of
pistoles. Take a dozen."

"And how many will you have left?"

"Let me see--there are thirteen. I shall still have enough. There are
twelve, Charles."

And he counted them out, leaving the single coin in his purse.

Hoffland, however, drew back, and obstinately closed his hands.

"You ought to be ashamed to tempt an inexperienced youth to go in
debt," he said; "that is your fine guardianship, Mr. Mowbray."

"Come, Charles; this is folly. You do not become my debtor; I do not
want the money. Take it, and repay it when your own comes."

"No, I will not. But still I want a pair of gloves. Do me a greater
favor still, Ernest. Give me those pretty fringed gloves you wear, and
which are plainly too small for your huge hands. I know Miss Lucy gave
them to you, for she said as much the other day--I asked her!--and now
I want them. Don't refuse me, Ernest; my hand is much smaller and
handsomer than yours, and they will just fit me."

Mowbray took off the gloves, asking himself, with a sad smile, what
charm this boy exercised over him.

"There they are then, Charles," he said; "I can refuse you nothing."

"Suppose I asked for the hand as well as the gloves?"

"The hand? Perfectly at your service," said Mowbray, holding out his
hand; "I can only give it to you in a friendly spirit, however, and
there it is."

"No," said Hoffland, drawing back; "I will not accept it upon those
terms--but I have the gloves. Thank you, Ernest. Perhaps some day I
may ask you to accept a present from me; or at least I promise not to
refuse you if you ask what I have this moment refused."

And laughing heartily, Hoffland cried:

"Just look at those flo