Redbud, conscious of her feelings, blushed and hesitated. Just as she was about to stammer out some disconnected words, however, voices were heard behind the shrubbery, which separated the arbor from a neighboring walk, and this created a diversion. Verty and Redbud could not help overhearing this conversation. CHAPTER XIII. VERTY EXPRESSES A DESIRE TO IMITATE MR. JINKS. The voice which they heard first was that of Mr. Jinks; and that gentleman was apparently engaged in the pleasant occupation of complimenting a lady. "Fairest of your sex!" said the enthusiastic Mr. Jinks, "how can I express the delight which your presence inspires me with--ahem!" The sound of a fan coming in contact with a masculine hand was heard, and a mincing voice replied:-- "Oh, you are a great flatterer, Mr. Jinks. You are really too bad. Let us view the beauties of nature." "They are not so lovely as those beauties which I have been viewing since I saw you, my dearest Miss Sallianna." ("That's old Scowley's sister, he said so," whispered Verty.) "Really, you make me blush," replied the mincing and languishing voice--"you men are dreadful creatures!" "Dreadful!" "You take advantage of our simplicity and confidence to make us believe you think very highly of us." "Highly! divinest Miss Sallianna! _highly_ is not the word; extravagantly is better! In the presence of your lovely sex we feel our hearts expand; our bosoms--hem!--are enlarged, and we are all your slaves." ("Just listen, Redbud!" whispered Verty, laughing.) "La!" replied the voice, "how gallant you are, Mr. Jinks!" "No, Madam!" said Mr. Jinks, "I am not gallant!" "You?" "Far from it, Madam--I am a bear, a savage, with all the rest of the female sex; but with you--you--hem! that is different!" ("Don't go, Redbud!--" "But, Verty--" "Just a minute, Redbud.") "Yes, a savage; I hate the sex--I distrust them!" continued Mr. Jinks, in a gloomy tone; "before seeing you, I had made up my mind to retire forever from the sight of mankind, and live on roots, or something of that description. But you have changed me--you have made me human." And Mr. Jinks, to judge from his tone of voice, was looking dignified. The fair lady uttered a little laugh. "There it is!" cried Mr. Jinks, "you are always happy--always smiling and seducing--you are the paragon of your sex. If it will be any satisfaction to you, Madam, I will immediately die for you, and give up the ghost." Which Mr. Jinks seemed to consider wholly different from the former. "Heigho!" said the lady, "you are very devoted, sir." "I should be, Madam." "I am not worthy of so much praise." "You are the pearl of your sex, Madam." "Oh, no! I am only a simple young girl--but twenty-five last January--and I have no pretensions in comparison with many others. Immured in this quiet retreat, with a small property, and engaged in the opprobrious occupation of cultivating the youthful mind--" "A noble employment, Madam."