"I have thought, sometimes, that you liked some other fellow--Clem, I mean--" Nattie felt herself blush in the darkness--"but I do hope not! the thought has made me boil in secret often, and he loves Cyn, you know--" Nattie's color left her face as quickly as it had come--"but oh!" and he went down on to his knees with a whack that made the vases on the mantel jingle. "Let me tell you what I tried twice before to say, what is always in my thoughts! I--I adore you! the ground you walk on! and have, ever since I first saw your nose! I--I beg pardon, but I fell in love with your nose! and will you--can you tell me that you don't love any other fellow--Clem, I mean--and share my little property, and be--be Mrs. Quimby, you know!" "Ah! really I--such a trying moment!--but dear, _dear_ Quimby, I never cared for Clem, never only for you--and I am yours!" With these words, Celeste precipitated herself into his arms, and the next moment Nattie heard a crash as they both fell on the floor. The sudden shock of recognition that then burst upon him, weakened him to such an extent that he could not support himself, much less her, so down they went! "He must know who it is now!" thought Nattie, with a sigh of relief. And meanwhile Celeste had picked herself up, but Quimby still remained flat on the floor, bracing himself up by his hands on either side, and staring at her, motionless. Fortunately it was too dark for her to see the expression of his face. "Did you hurt yourself?" asked Celeste at length. "Let me help you up! We are to help each other now, you know." Quimby groaned. "Oh, misery!" he gasped. "This--my destiny is too much for me! Oh! the evil deeds of darkness! Listen to me, I implore you! It is all a mistake! I thought--" "Of course it was a mistake! You did not suppose I thought you fell purposely, did you, dear?" quickly interrupted Celeste, blindly or willfully misunderstanding--who shall say which? "But please get up, Cyn may come." At this Quimby scrambled to his feet with startling suddenness, and exclaiming hastily, "I will--I will write and tell you all--_all!_ I have an engagement now with a friend just around the corner!" he rushed from the room, and would have flown, but the pertinacious Celeste had followed, and just as he reached the outside hall, regardless of the publicity, flung herself around his neck, this time without bringing him to the ground. "It is not necessary to write!" she cried. "Pray, do not take such a trifle so much to heart. Remember I am yours, and--" Another voice from the stairs just above the pair, interrupted her. It was the voice of Fishblate _pere_, and it said, "Hugging! Marry her!" "I--I--will!" wailed the now alarmed Quimby, as Celeste blushingly withdrew from her embrace of him. "I--I will see you to-morrow if I--if I live!" and striking his forehead with his hand, he burst away, bounded frantically down the stairs and fled, ejaculating, "I knew it! I had a presentiment from my youth!"