Mr. Jinks was on his knees before the beautiful Sallianna.

The girls and their companions saw it—­distinctly, undoubtedly, without possibility of mistake; finally, hearing the sound of footsteps on the graveled walks, Mr. Jinks turned his head, and saw that they saw him!

It was a grand spectacle which at that moment they beheld:  Mr. Jinks erect before his rival and his foes—­Mr. Jinks with his hand upon his sword—­Mr. Jinks with stern resolve and lofty dignity in his form and mien.

“Sir,” said Mr. Jinks to Ralph, “I am glad to see you—!”

“And I am delighted, my dear Jinks!” returned Ralph.

“A fine day, sir!”

“A glorious day!”

“A heavy storm.”

“Tremendous!”

“Wet?”

“Very!”

And Ralph wrung the water out of his falling cuff.

“I say, though,” said he, “things seem to have been going on very tranquilly here.”

“Sir?”

“Come, old fellow!” don’t be ashamed of—­”

“What, sir! I ashamed?”

“Of kneeling down—­you know.”

And Ralph, smiling confidentially, made significant signs over his shoulder toward Miss Sallianna, who had withdrawn with blushing diffidence to the other end of the portico, and was gently waving her fan as she gazed upon the sunset.

“The fact is, I was arranging her shoe-bow,” said Mr. Jinks.

“Oh!” said Ralph, “gammon,”

“Sir?”

“You were courting her.”

“Courting!”

“Ah—­you deny it!  Well, let us see!”

And to Mr. Jinks’ profound consternation he raised his voice, and said, laughing: 

“Tell me, Miss Sallianna, if my friend Jinks has not been courting you?”

“Oh, sir!” cried Miss Sallianna, in a flutter.

“Did you say, no?” continued Ralph, pretending to so understand the lady; “very well, then, I may advise you, my dear Jinks, not to do so.”

“Do what, sir?”

“Court Miss Sallianna.”

“Why not, sir?” cried Mr. Jinks, bristling up.

“Because you would have no chance.”

“No chance, sir!”

Ralph’s propensity for mischief got the better of him; and leaning over, he whispered in the warlike gentleman’s ear, as he pointed to Miss Sallianna.

“I say, Jinks, don’t you understand?—­desperately in love—­hum—­with—­hum—­Verty here; no doubt of it!”

And Ralph drew back, looking mysterious.

Mr. Jinks cast upon the quiet Verty a glance which would have frozen giants into stone.

“No, sir! all explained!” he said.

“It can’t be, my dear fellow,” said Ralph, in a low tone.  “Verty has the proofs.”

“Did you speak to me?” said Verty, smiling:  he had been talking with Redbud during this conference.

“Yes, I did,” said Ralph.  Verty smiled, and said: 

“I did not hear what you asked.”