And Mr. Jinks, to judge from his tone of voice, was looking dignified.

The fair lady uttered a little laugh.

“There it is!” cried Mr. Jinks, “you are always happy—­always smiling and seducing—­you are the paragon of your sex.  If it will be any satisfaction to you, Madam, I will immediately die for you, and give up the ghost.”

Which Mr. Jinks seemed to consider wholly different from the former.

“Heigho!” said the lady, “you are very devoted, sir.”

“I should be, Madam.”

“I am not worthy of so much praise.”

“You are the pearl of your sex, Madam.”

“Oh, no!  I am only a simple young girl—­but twenty-five last January—­and I have no pretensions in comparison with many others.  Immured in this quiet retreat, with a small property, and engaged in the opprobrious occupation of cultivating the youthful mind—­”

“A noble employment, Madam.”

“Yes, very pleasing; with this, and with a contemplation of the beautiful criterions of nature, I am happy.”

“Fairest of your sex, is this all that is necessary for happiness?” observed Mr. Jinks.

“What more!”

“Is solitude the proper sphere of that divine sex which in all ages of the world—­ahem!—­has—­”

“Oh, sir!”

And the flirting of the fan was heard.

“Should not woman have a companion—­a consoler, who—­”

The fan was evidently used to hide a number of blushes.

“Should not such a lovely creature as yourself,” continued the enthusiastic Jinks, “choose one to—­”

Redbud rose quickly, and said, blushing and laughing:—­

“Oh, come, Verty!”

“No, no—­listen!” said Verty, “I do believe—­”

“No, no, no!” cried Redbud, hurriedly, “it was very wrong—­”

“What?—­courting.”

“Oh, no!  It’s mean in us to listen!”

And she went out of the arbor, followed by Verty, who said, “I’m glad courting ain’t wrong; I think I should like to court you, Redbud.”

Redbud made no reply to this innocent speech of Mr. Verty, but walked on.  The noise which they made in leaving the arbor attracted the attention of the personages whose conversation we have been compelled to overhear; and Mr. Jinks and his companion passed through an opening in the shrubbery, and appeared in full view.

Miss Sallianna was a young lady of thirty-two or three, with long corkscrew curls, a wiry figure—­a smile, of the description called “simper,” on her lips, and an elegant mincing carriage of the person as she moved.  She carried a fan, which seemed to serve for a number of purposes:  to raise artificial breezes, cover imaginary blushes, and flirt itself against the hands or other portions of the persons of gentlemen making complimentary speeches.

She displayed some temporary embarrassment upon seeing Redbud and
Verty; and especially stared at that young gentleman.