"Yes! I wonder if your divine creature--Sallianna by name--did not tell me, ten minutes since, that you--yes, you, Miss Fanny!--were desperately enamored of Mr. Verty!" The whole party were so overcome by this ludicrous exposé of Miss Sallianna's schemes, that a laugh much louder than the first rang through the garden; and when Miss Sallianna was descried sailing in dignified meditation up and down the portico, her fan gently waving, her head inclined to one side, her eyes fixed upon the sky, Mr. Ralph Ashley entered into a neighboring mass of shrubbery, from which came numerous choking sounds, and explosive evidences of overwhelming laughter. Thus was it that our honest Verty at once cleared up all misunderstanding--and made the horizon cloudless once again. If everybody would only speak as plainly, when misconceptions and mistakes arise, the world would have far more of sunshine in it! "Just to think!" cried Fanny, "how that odious old tatterdemalion has been going on! Did anybody ever?" "Anan?" said Verty. "Sir?" said Fanny. "What's a tatterdemalion?" asked the young man, smilingly. "I don't exactly know, sir," said Fanny; "but I suppose it's a conceited old maid; who talks about the beauties of nature, and tries to make people, who are friends, hate each other." With which definition Miss Fanny clenched her handsome little hand, and made a gesture therewith, in the direction of Miss Sallianna, indicative of hostility, and a desire to engage in instant combat. Ralph laughed, and said: "You meant to say, my dear child, that the lady in question tried to make a quarrel between people who _loved_ each other--not simply 'were friends'. For you know she tried to make us dislike one another." Fanny received this insinuating speech with one of heir expressive "hums!" "Don't you?" said Ralph. "What; sir?" "Love me!" "Oh, devotedly!" "Very well; it was not necessary to tell me, and, of course, that pretty curl of the lip is only to keep up appearances. But come now, darling of my heart, and light of my existence! as we _hav'nt_ quarreled, in spite of Miss Sallianna, and still have for each other the most enthusiastic affection, be good enough to forget these things, and turn your attention to material affairs. You promised me a lunch!" "Lunch!" "Yes--and I am getting hungry." "When did I promise?" "Yesterday." "Oh--now--" "You remember; very well. It was to be eaten, you will recollect, on the hill, yonder, to the west, to which our steps were to tend." "Our picnic! Oh, yes! My goodness gracious! how could I forget it! Come on, Reddie--come and help me to persuade Mrs. Scowley to undo the preserve-jar." Redbud laughed. "May I go!" said Verty. "Certainly, sir; you are not at liberty to refuse. Who would talk with Reddie!" "I don't think--" murmured Redbud, hesitating. "Now!" cried Fanny, "did anybody ever!" "Ever what!" said Verty. "Ever see anybody like this Miss Redbud!"