"Oh, Mr. Brown, I'm so sorry!" she found courage at length to say. "You
are very kind--you've always been kind to me from the moment I entered
the house--but indeed you must never speak on this subject again." She
shook hands with him in her embarrassment, apparently as a proof of
friendship, then ran into the house.
"Virginia, what do you think has happened to me?" cried Colonel
Pinckney, bursting into his sister-in-law's room, which he seldom
invaded. "Yesterday, as I came up the steps, I surprised Mr. Brown, who
was offering himself--bad English, poverty and all--to Miss
Featherstone. This minute--by George!--I stumbled into the dining-room,
and there is Doctor Harris going through the same performance."
"Sit down and tell me all about it," exclaimed Mrs. Pinckney, her
curiosity overcoming her pique.
"Each time," continued Colonel Pinckney, "the lover's back was turned
toward me, while I had a most distinct view of Miss Featherstone, who
was blushing, hanging her head and looking as distressed as possible,
poor little soul!"
"Why! won't she accept the doctor?" said Mrs. Pinckney with animation.
"It didn't look like it. I couldn't hear what he said, but his back had
a hopeless expression.
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