“You know one of our charming young ladies very well, I believe, Mr. Lindsay.  I think you are an old acquaintance of Miss Posey, whom we all consider so pretty.”

Poor Clement!  The question pierced to the very marrow of his soul, but it was put with the utmost suavity and courtesy, and honeyed with a compliment to the young lady, too, so that there was no avoiding a direct and pleasant answer to it.

“Yes,” he said, “I have known the young lady you speak of for a long time, and very well,—­in fact, as you must have heard, we are something more than friends.  My visit here is principally on her account.”

“You must give the rest of us a chance to see something of you during your visit, Mr. Lindsay.  I hope you are invited to Miss Eveleth’s to-morrow evening?”

“Yes, I got a note this morning.  Tell me, Mr. Bradshaw, who is there that I shall meet if I go?  I have no doubt there are girls here in the village I should like to see, and perhaps some young fellows that I should like to talk with.  You know all that’s prettiest and pleasantest, of course.”

“Oh, we’re a little place, Mr. Lindsay.  A few nice people, the rest comme Va, you know.  High-bush blackberries and low-bush black-berries,—­you understand,—­just so everywhere,—­high-bush here and there, low-bush plenty.  You must see the two parsons’ daughters,—­Saint Ambrose’s and Saint Joseph’s,—­and another girl I want particularly to introduce you to.  You shall form your own opinion of her.  I call her handsome and stylish, but you have got spoiled, you know.  Our young poet, too, one we raised in this place, Mr. Lindsay, and a superior article of poet, as we think,—­that is, some of us, for the rest of us are jealous of him, because the girls are all dying for him and want his autograph.  And Cyp,—­yes, you must talk to Cyp,—­he has ideas.  But don’t forget to get hold of old Byles Master Gridley I mean—­before you go.  Big head.  Brains enough for a cabinet minister, and fit out a college faculty with what was left over.  Be sure you see old Byles.  Set him talking about his book, ‘Thoughts on the Universe.’  Did n’t sell much, but has got knowing things in it.  I’ll show you a copy, and then you can tell him you know it, and he will take to you.  Come in and get your dinner with me to-morrow.  We will dine late, as the city folks do, and after that we will go over to the Rector’s.  I should like to show you some of our village people.”

Mr. Bradshaw liked the thought of showing the young man to some of his friends there.  As Clement was already “done for,” or “bowled out,” as the young lawyer would have expressed the fact of his being pledged in the matrimonial direction, there was nothing to be apprehended on the score of rivalry.  And although Clement was particularly good-looking, and would have been called a distinguishable youth anywhere, Mr. Bradshaw considered himself far more than his match, in all probability, in social