"Sir, I have to thank you--" "Indeed, no thanks are needed.

I sincerely hope you are better to-day ?" Mr.March assented: but John's countenance apparently interested him so much that he forgot his usual complainings.

"My daughter tells me you are our neighbours--I am happy to have such friendly ones.

My dear," in a half audible, pensive whisper to her, "I think your poor brother Walter would have grown up extremely like Mr .-- Mr.--" "Mr.Halifax, papa." "Mr.Halifax, we are going to take tea under the trees there--my daughter's suggestion--she is so fond of rurality.

Will you give us the pleasure of your company?
You and"-- here, I must confess, the second invitation came in reply to a glance of Miss March's--"your friend." Of course we assented: I considerably amused, and not ill-pleased, to see how naturally it fell out that when John appeared in the scene, I, Phineas, subsided into the secondary character of John's "friend." Very soon--so soon that our novel position seemed like an adventure out of the Arabian Nights--we found ourselves established under the apple-tree, between whose branches the low sun stole in, kissing into red chestnut colour the hair of the "nut-browne mayde," as she sat, bareheaded, pouring into small white china cups that dainty luxury, tea.