"Oh! really now, do you mean it?" exclaimed Quimby, with sudden delight. "I am so glad I've done something right at last, you know! Always doing something wrong, you know!" then hugging his hat to his breast, and speaking in a confidential whisper, he added, to the great amusement of the two girls, "I have a presentiment--a horrible presentiment--I'm always making mistakes, you see. I'm used to it, but I couldn't get used to _that_, you know--that some day I shall marry the wrong woman!" So saying, and with a last glance of implacable dislike at the sounder, Quimby bowed awkwardly, and departed with the laughing Miss Archer. Soon after their departure, "C" asked, "Has Black-Eyed Susan gone?" "Yes," responded Nattie. "She left a good-by for you, and means to improve your acquaintance." "Thrice happy I! But about this he? Who is this he? I want to know all about him. Is he a hated rival?" "Ha! I never heard him say so, but I will ask him if you wish. He lives in the same building with me, and brought Miss Archer, a fellow-lodger, down to introduce her." "Do you ever go to balls, concerts, theaters, or to ride with him?" asked "C," who seemed determined to make a thorough investigation of matters. "Dear me! No! He never asked me!" "Do you wish he would?" persisted "C." "Of course I do!" replied Nattie, somewhat regardless of truth. "It is my opinion I shall be obliged to come and look after you," "C" replied, at this admission. "But you wouldn't know whether you were looking after the right person or not, when you were here!" Nattie said, with a smiling face and sparkling eyes turned in the direction of an urchin,' flattening his nose against her window-glass, who immediately fled, overwhelmed with astonishment, at being, as he supposed, so smiled upon. "And why wouldn't I?" questioned "C." "Because I should recognize you immediately, and should pretend it was not I, but some substitute," replied Nattie. "You seem to be very positive about recognizing me. Is your intuitive bump so well-developed as all that?" asked "C." "Yes," Nattie responded. "And then you know there would be a twinkle in your eye that would betray you at once." "Indeed! We will see about that, young lady. But now, as a customer has been drumming on my shelf for the past five minutes, in a frantic endeavor to attract my attention, and has by this time worked himself into a fine irascible temper, because I will not even glance at him, I must bid you good-night, with the advice, watch for that _twinkle_, and be sure you discover it!" CHAPTER IV. NEIGHBORLY CALLS.