92 Hunting in the Golden Days. 



him to a seat beside her in the window. She slowly, 

 but surely, opens her batteries on this unsuspecting 

 gentleman. Now is the opportunity which may not 

 occur again, and she is determined to avail herself of it. 

 How fortunate that he has found her out. No doubt he 

 has come to proclaim his love ; at all events, Miss Janet 

 intends this time to make hay while the sun shines, and 

 to give him that encouragement for which she believes 

 he has up till now been waiting. 



" Oh, Mr. Goodbery," she begins, " I am so pleased you 

 have come to have a chat with me. It is so good of you 

 to have found me out. Poor little me, I am so lonely, 

 working here alone," continues the doleful lady ; " to 

 meet with a sympathetic soul like you is, indeed, balm to 

 my troubled heart, I fain would talk with you of serious 

 matters." (At these words Mr. Goodbery begins to feel 

 uneasy and rather regrets his visit to the picture gallery.) 

 "Therefore," continues she, "let us speak of matters 

 that are of vital interest to us both. It is no good 

 concealing our feelings, we are not children now, and 

 we can think for ourselves. We have no stern parents 

 to consult ; why, therefore, I ask, shall we not let our 

 souls commune together ? " 



Goodbery fidgets uneasily on his chair, and tries to 

 turn the subject, but the lady has got the bit firmly 

 between her teeth and there is no stopping her. 



" Oh, Mr. Goodbery," she continues, " do try to 

 follow me in my train of thought, and like the poet let 

 us sing, ' Oh, that our hearts were one,' for I look upon 

 you as my friend, I may say as my protector, for there 

 is no one else to whom I can look but you. We have 

 known each other from childhood. I know, rash boy that 

 you are, you were indiscreet last night in allowing your 

 feelings to get the better of you and to proclaim 



