ter, for that's too familiar. Let me see--what ought I
to be? I can't be your guardian, for I'm too volatile--what, then, can
I be? Oh, I see! I'll tell you, Captain Randolph, what I'll be. I'll
pretend that I'm your aunt. There, sir.'

"'Well, then,' said I, 'my own dear aunt.'

"'No. That won't do--you are always absurd when you grow affectionate
or sentimental. You may call me aunt--but no sentiment.'

"'Well, Aunt Louie.'

"She demurred a little, but finally, I gained my point. After this she
gave me some good advice, and I left and came straight to you, to find
your room empty."

"Advice? You said she gave you advice? What was it?"

"Well, the advised me to get immediate leave of absence, and go home
for a time. I could then have a breathing-space to decide on my
future."

"Capital! Why, what a perfect little trump Louie is! Jack, my boy,
that's the very thing you'll have to do."

Jack shook his head.

"Why not?"

He shook his head again.

"Well, what did you say to Louie?"

"Why, I told her that it was impossible. She insisted that it was the
very thing I ought to do, and wanted to know why I wouldn't. I refused
to tell, whereupon she began to coax and tease, and tease and coax, and
so the end of it was, I told her."

"What was it?"

"Why, I told her I couldn't think of going away where I couldn't see
her; that I would hare blown my brains out by this time if it weren't
for her; and that I'd blow my brains out when I went home, if it
weren't for the hope of fleeing her to-morrow."

"The devil you did!" said I, dryly. "What! after being mittened?"

"Yes," said Jack. "It was on my mind to say it, and I said it."

"And how did Louie take it?"

"Not well. She looked coolly at me, and said:

"'Captain Randolph, I happened to be speaking sensibly. You seemed to
be in earnest when you asked for my opinion, and I gave it.'

"'And I was in earnest,' I said.

"'How very absurd!' said she. 'The fable of the shepherd-boy who cried
wolf, is nothing to you. It seems to be a fixed habit of yours to go
about to all the young ladies of your acquaintance threatening to blow
your brains out. Now, in getting up a sentiment for my benefit, you
ought at least to have been original, and not give to me the same
second-hand one which you had already sent to Number Three.'

"She looked so cold, that I felt frightened.

"'You're--you're--not offended?' said I. 'I'm sure--'

"'Oh, no,' said she, interrupting m