ge
when opportunity offered.

But his demonstrativeness served to discompose Molly's ladyhood on this
occasion; and the presence of Philo with his business-like face added
so much scandal that she disengaged herself as quickly as possible from
Jack's audacious grasp, and, with such dignity as a white kitten might
assume in the presence of two intrusive pups, ushered them into the
family "keepin'-room," and withdrew, as if she wished it understood
that she washed her hands of them and their kind from that time forth.
But Jack slipped out after her, and probably made peace; for they
returned together,--he very brisk and shining, and she blushing like
Aurora.

Philo, however, meant business, and said as much in plain terms, that
set Miss Molly into a perfect maze of conjecture as she went to call
the 'squire. Her only solution of the mystery was that Jack had now
come for the momentous _pop_, toward which events had been tending;
and that Philo had accompanied him in the character of second. She
felt a little piqued that she had not been able to bring him to the
point herself; but then it was certainly very straightforward in him
to come right to her father in that way; and so the little lady rushed
out to the wood-pile in a perfect flutter of delicious perplexity, and
imparted the fact that the two young men had called _on business_, with
such decided emphasis that the 'squire immediately took the cue, and
prepared himself to be especially benignant and paternal.

Relieved of Molly's inspiring presence, Jack felt all the solemnity
of the affair returning upon him, and, as is usual with these strong,
mercurial natures, it loomed before him more and more grim and ghastly,
till, by the time that the 'squire made his appearance, he had become
almost persuaded that his last hour was really approaching. This state
of mind imparted to his countenance an expression of such touching
melancholy as made the old gentleman take him for the most despairing
of lovers, and wrought upon his sympathies amazingly.

'Squire Tupper was