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at her with a grateful, almost humble expression, holding his soft hat against his breast, while the snow-flakes fell about his head. “And may I call in for a few moments to-night, to show you something?”

She laughed as if his request pleased her. “Something for her, I expect? Can’t you trust your own judgment?”

“You know I never do,” he said, as if that were an old story.

She gave him a little push. “Do put your hat on, or you'll greet Esther with a sneeze. Run along.”

She watched him anxiously as he walked away, and groaned: “Oh, the deliberation of him! If I could only make him hurry once. You’ll hear all about him later, Nellie. You’ll have to see a good deal of him, but you won’t find it a hardship, I trust!”

The boat was pulling out, and I was straining my eyes to catch, through the fine, reluctant snow, my first glimpse of the city we were