"Miss Smith," said Chester, quietly, "you need not think, because you happen to have peculiar charms of person, that no others have graces of a different sort."
"Oh, what an egregiouth flatterer!" returned Josephine Smith, shaking her meager curls. "Come"—and she boldly seated herself,—"let me know what your interesting conversation is about."
"We were just speaking of going into the sitting-room," answered the young man, rising.
He stooped, and whispered to Hepsy.
"Leave me alone a few minutes, then I will come," she murmured.
He pressed her hand, and walked away.
"Don't you thuppose, now," said Miss Smith, following, and taking his arm familiarly, "I think you have grown wonderfully handthome, thince you have been at school?"
Chester made some nonsensical reply, and, having conducted her to the sitting-room, coolly turned about, and reëntered the parlor.
Hepsy's face was hidden in her hands. She was weeping convulsively.
"I thought what I said would make you happy," he whispered.