Meanwhile, John was being charmingly ciceroned by Lillie, and scarcely knew whether he was in the body or out.  All that he felt, and felt with a sort of wonder, was that he seemed to be acceptable and pleasing in the eyes of this little fairy, and that she was leading him into wonderland.

They went not only to the boiling spring, but up and down so many wild, woodland paths that had been cut for the adornment of the Carmel Springs, and so well pleased were both parties, that it was supper-time before they reappeared on the lawn; and, when they did appear, Lillie was leaning confidentially on John’s arm, with a wreath of woodbine in her hair that he had arranged there, wondering all the while at his own wonderful boldness, and at the grace of the fair entertainer.

[Illustration:  “Lillie was leaning confidentially on John’s arm.”]

The returning couple were seen from the windows of Mrs. Chit, who sat on the lookout for useful information; and who forthwith ran to the apartments of Mrs. Chat, and told her to look out at them.

Billy This, who was smoking his cigar on the veranda, immediately ran and called Harry That to look at them, and laid a bet at once that Lillie had “hooked” Seymour.

“She’ll have him, by George, she will!”

“Oh, pshaw! she is always hooking fellows, but you see she don’t get married,” said matter-of-fact Harry.  “It won’t come to any thing, now, I’ll bet.  Everybody said she was engaged to Danforth, but it all ended in smoke.”

Whether it would be an engagement, or would all end in smoke, was the talk of Carmel Springs for the next two weeks.

At the end of that time, the mind of Carmel Springs was relieved by the announcement that it was an engagement.

The important deciding announcement was first authentically made by Lillie to Belle Trevors, who had been invited into her room that night for the purpose.

“Well, Belle, it’s all over.  He spoke out to-night.”

“He offered himself?”

“Certainly.”

“And you took him?”

“Of course I did:  I should be a fool not to.”

“Oh, so I think, decidedly!” said Belle, kissing her friend in a rapture.  “You dear creature! how nice! it’s splendid!”

Lillie took the embrace with her usual sweet composure, and turned to her looking-glass, and began taking down her hair for the night.  It will be perceived that this young lady was not overcome with emotion, but in a perfectly collected state of mind.

“He’s a little bald, and getting rather stout,” she said reflectively, “but he’ll do.”

“I never saw a creature so dead in love as he is,” said Belle.

A quiet smile passed over the soft, peach-blow cheeks as Lillie answered,—­

“Oh, dear, yes!  He perfectly worships the ground I tread on.”

“Lil, you fortunate creature, you!  Positively it’s the best match that there has been about here this summer.  He’s rich, of an old, respectable family; and then he has good principles, you know, and all that,” said Belle.