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A BRIDE FROM THE BUSH
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and scandalous; and then—sweet Miss Travers annihilated him in a breath.

'I was in their carriage at the time, myself; but—you will excuse my saying so—I shouldn't have recognised the incident from your description!'

It was a staggerer; but Miss Travers did not follow up the blow. She reproved him, it is true, but so kindly, and with such evident solicitude for his moral state, that the wretch was in ecstasies in two minutes.

'At all events,' he said, with enthusiasm, 'she has you for her champion! I won't hear another word abour her; I'll champion her too!'

'If you spoke to her for one moment,' Miss Travers replied, 'you would own yourself that she is charming. You never saw such eyes!'

This the lawyer seemed to question, by the rapt manner in which he gazed into Miss Travers's own eyes; but the speech was the prettier for being left unspoken; and here the lawyer showed some self-restraint and more wisdom. But immediately the lady left him: she had descried her quarry.