I had told her, long before, all about Harry’s letter, and the dear girl in this walk, after a little blushing and sighing, and half faltering and half hesitating and feeling uncertain, yielded to my last and warmest persuasions, and agreed to go to Mrs. Pollexfen’s ball that evening, ready to leave it with me in my buggy sleigh, for a three hours’ ride to Topsham, where we both knew Harry would be waiting for us.  I do not know how she managed to get through tea that evening with her lion of a grandfather, for she could not then cover her tearful eyes with a veil as she did through the last half of our walk together.  I know that I got through my tea and such like ordinary affairs by skipping them.  I made all my arrangements, bade Gage and Streeter be ready with the sleigh at my lodgings (fortunately only two doors from Mrs. Pollexfen’s) at half-past nine o’clock, and was the highest spirited of men when, on returning to those lodgings myself at eight o’clock, I found the following missives from the Argus office, which had been accumulating through the afternoon.

    No. 1.

    “4 o’clock, P.M.

    “DEAR SIR:—­The southern mail, just in, brings Buenos Ayres papers
    six days later, by the Medora, at Baltimore.

    “In haste, J.C.”

(Mr. C. was the gentleman who opened the newspapers, and arranged the deaths and marriages; he always kindly sent for me when I was out of the way.)

    No. 2.

    “5 o’clock, P.M.

    “DEAR SIR:—­The U.S. ship Preble is in at Portsmouth; latest from
    Valparaiso.  The mail is not sorted.

    “Yours, J.D.”

(Mr. D. arranged the ship news for the Argus.)

    No. 3.

    “6 o’clock, p.m.

    “DEAR SIR:—­I boarded, this morning, off Cape Cod, the
    Blunderhead, from Carthagena, and have a week’s later papers.

    “Truly yours, J.E.”

(Mr. E. was the enterprising commodore of our news-boats.)

    No. 4.

    “6-1/4 o’clock, P.M.

    “DEAR SIR:—­I have just opened accidentally the enclosed letter,
    from our correspondent at Panama.  You will see that it bears a New
    Orleans post-mark.  I hope it may prove exclusive.

    “Yours, J.F.”

(Mr. F. was general editor of the Argus.)

    No. 5.

    “6-1/2 o’clock, P.M.

“DEAR SIR:—­A seaman, who appears to be an intelligent man, has arrived this morning at New Bedford, and says he has later news of the rebellion in Ecuador than any published.  The Rosina (his vessel) brought no papers.  I bade him call at your room at eight o’clock, which he promised to do.

    “Truly yours, J.G.”

(Mr. G. was clerk in the Argus counting-room.)

    No 6.

    “7-1/2 o’clock, P.M.