You're a very handsome fellow, So gallant and so gay; And I really blush to tell you, But you've stole my heart away. When you took the part of Daggersdrawn, My bosom swelled with pride To hear your voice of thunder And see your manly stride. You seized the nasty pistols up Without a sign of fear, And thrust and parried with your sword Just like a Cavalier. As you've escaped the lonesome wood-- For so the story ends-- I send these chocs, with best regards, And beg we may be friends. Merle had no doubt the chocolates would be appreciated, but she had not expected to receive back a poetical effusion from her small knight. He evidently, however, had some slight gift for minstrelsy, for one day there was a tremendous rap on the front-door knocker at Burswood Farm, then a sound of running footsteps, and inside the letter-box was a note addressed to 'Miss Merle Ramsay,' in a rather wobbly and unformed hand. At the top of the sheet of paper was painted a boat with brown sails on a blue sea, and underneath was written: You ask me, dear, will I be thine? How can you such a question ask When, 'neath the robber's fearful mask, I languish for thee, lady mine! Thou art the lady that I love; Thou art the lady that I chose. Oh, fly with me from friends and foes! Oh, for the wings of a dove! O sail with me to a southern sea, To where an isle is fair and warm, And the sea around it bright and calm: O Merle, will you come with me? But for the nasty pistols, miss, I have one ready to shoot me dead! For already my heart is heavy as lead Unless you favour my wish! [Footnote: These verses were really composed by a little boy.] It's rather silly but it's the best I can rite. M C. In the privacy of the parlour Merle had a good laugh with Mavis over what they termed her first love-letter. "'Oh, for the wings of a dove!'" quoted Merle. "It's so Biblical, isn't it? He's a dear, all the same! I love him better even than Constable. He's such a bright little chap. Don't tell Clive, or he'd tease Madox to death about this. It must be an absolute secret. I can just picture the child sitting writing it with his sticky little fingers!" "You mustn't let him know about 'Sweet William,' or there'll be a free fight!" laughed Mavis.