At length upon a certain summer's day Will asks to see you. He approaches with a doubtful and disturbed look; you fear that wild Nell has been teasing him with her pranks. Yet he wears not so much an offended look as one of fear. You wonder if it ever happened to you to carry your hat in just that timid manner, and to wear such a shifting expression of the eye, as poor Will wears just now? You wonder if it ever happened to you to begin to talk with an old friend of your father's in just that abashed way? Will must have fallen into some sad scrape.—Well, he is a good fellow, and you will help him out of it!
You look up as he goes on with his story;—you grow perplexed yourself;—you scarce believe your own ears.
----"Nelly?"—Is Will talking of Nelly?
"Yes, sir,—Nelly."
----"What!—and you have told all this to Nelly—that you love her?"
"I have, sir."
"And she says"—
"That I must speak with you, sir."
"Bless my soul!—But she's a good girl;"—and the old man wipes his eyes.
----"Nell!—are you there?"