"Surely," thought Robertson to himself, "young ladies now-a-days are remarkably forward." "Well, then, Miss Mansel," speaking aloud, "proceed at once to the point. I am all attention." Selina still hesitated--"Really," said she, "I know not how to express myself." "No doubt of it," he replied; "young ladies, I suppose, are not accustomed to being very explicit on these occasions. However, I can understand--'A word to the wise,' you know: but the truth is, for my own part, I have not quite made up my mind. You are sensible that our acquaintance is of very recent date: a wife is not a bill to be accepted at sight You know the proverb--'Marry in haste and repent at leisure.' However, I think you may draw on me at sixty days. And now that I have acknowledged the receipt of your addresses"---- Selina interrupted him with vehemence--"Mr. Robertson, what are you talking about? You are certainly not in your senses. You are mistaken, I tell you--it is no such thing." "Come, Miss Mansel," said Robertson, "do not fly from your offer: it is too late for what they call coquetry--actions speak louder than words. If I must be plain, why so much embarrassment whenever we meet? To say nothing of the flower you gave me--and that little verse, which speaks volumes"---- "Speaks nonsense!" cried Selina: "Is it possible you can be so absurd as to suppose"----Then bursting into tears of vexation, she exclaimed--"Oh that I had a cent!" "A cent!" said Robertson, much surprised. "Is it possible you are crying for a cent?" "Yes, I am," answered Selina; "just now, that is all I want on earth!" "Well, then," said Robertson, taking one out of his pocket, "you shall cry for it no longer: here's one for you." "This won't do--this won't do!" sobbed Selina. "Why, I am sure it is a good cent," said Robertson, "just like any other." "No," cried Selina, "your giving me another cent only makes things worse." By this time they were in sight of Mr. Mansel's door, and Selina perceived something on the pavement glittering in the moonlight. "Ah!" she exclaimed, taking it up, "this must be the very cent I dropped on my way to Mrs. Vincent's. I know it by its being quite a new one. How glad I am to find it!" "Well," said Robertson, "I have heard of ladies taking cents to church; but I never knew before that they had any occasion for them at tea-parties. And, by-the-bye (as I have often told my friend Pennychink the vestryman), that practice of handing a money-box round the church in service-time, is one of the meanest things I know, and I wonder how any man that is a gentleman can bring himself to do it." "And now, Mr. Robertson," said Selina, hastily wiping her eyes, "have you forgotten that I borrowed a cent of you the other day at Mr. Stretchlace's store?" "I _had_ forgotten it," answered Robertson; "but I recollect it now." "That cent was never returned to you," said Selina. "It was not," replied Robertson, looking surprised.