THE MAJOR'S STORY. 281 



by his awkward looks, and half-blushes, and averted eyes, 

 and forced laugh. 



" ' By Heaven !' thought I, ' what would I not give for 

 Tom's awkwardness now ! The scoundrel is winning his 

 way by it.' 



" ' Jerry, is Tom in love ?' 



" The naivete of the question, the correctness of it, the 

 very simplicity of the thing was irresistible, and I could 

 not repress a smile that grew into a broad laugh. Tom 

 joined in it, and we made the woods ring with our mer- 

 riment. 



" ' I say, Tom, isn't that your whip lying back yonder in 

 the road ?' 



" ' Confound it, yes ; the cord has broken from my 

 wrist;' and he rode back for it. 



" 'Jerry, whom does Tom love ?' said she, quickly, turn- 

 ing to me. 



"'You,' said I, bluntly. 



" ' Why, of course; but who is he in love with, I mean ?' 



" It was a curious way to get at it. Could I be justi- 

 fied ? It was not asking what I had intended, but it was 

 getting at it in another way, and just as well, perhaps. It 

 was, at all events, asking Tom's question for him, and it 

 saved me the embarrassment of putting it as my own. I 

 determined this in an instant. 



" ' Sarah, could you love Tom well enough to marry 

 him ?' 



" ' I ! Jerry ; what do you mean ?' 



" ' Suppose Tom wants you to be his wife, will you 

 marry him ?' 



" ' I don't know — I can't tell — I never thought of such 

 a thing. You don't think he has any such idea, do you ?' 



" That was my answer. It was enough as far as it 



