warmest seat. "Your fingers are cold, and the room is not yet
sufficiently warm. Well,"--with a significant smile,--"what have you to
tell me?"

"Not what you think," with a smiling nod, "for Francis Plunkett is far
too pressing for my taste,'' answered Sally.

"Ha, ha," quoth Betty, much amused, "is that the way you take it? Then I
foresee that Francis will win for his much speaking."

"Indeed he will not; I teased him well the last evening, and he dare not
resume the subject for a while at least."

"Then there is some one else," said Betty. "Can it be that Oliver"--

"Oh, no," cried Sally hastily; "Oliver has not such an idea, believe me,
Betty."

"How can you answer for him?" retorted Betty, laughing. "But your tone
answers for yourself, so I must guess again. I think I have heard
something of a handsome young lawyer from Branford"--

"Fie!" cried Sally, in her turn averting her face quickly, but not
before Betty had perceived her heightened color, "I have but met him
three times, and there are plenty of other personable men as well as he,
for while one stops with Dolly the officers from Fort Trumbull are ever
coming and going, you know."

"Ah, Sally, you are growing giddy, I fear," continued Betty with comical
pretense of solemnity. "I think it behooves me to caution you."