Then, considering the whole affair a joke, he began to laugh; and essayed to open the door.
In vain.

Fanny, possibly foreseeing this, had turned the key.
"Redbud!" said Verty.
"Sir ?" said a voice; not Redbud's, however.
"Let me in." "I shall do nothing of the sort," replied the voice.
"Why ?" said Verty, with ready philosophy; "it's nobody but me." "Hum!" said the voice again, in indignant protest against the force of any such reasoning.
"You are not Redbud," continued the cavalier; "I want to see Redbud." "Well, sir,--go down, and Reddy may come and see you," the voice replied; "as long as you stand there, you will not lay eyes on her--if you stay a week, or a year." At this dreadful threat, Verty retreated from the door.

The idea of not seeing Redbud for a year was horrible.
"Will you come down, Redbud, if I go ?" he asked.
Voices heard in debate.
"Say ?" said Verty.
After a pause, the voice which had before spoken, said: "Yes; go down and wait ten minutes." Verty heaved a sigh, and slowly descended to the hall again.

As he disappeared, the door opened, and the face of Fanny was seen carefully watching the enemy's retreat.

Then the young girl turned to Redbud, and, clapping her hands, cried: "Did you ever!--what an impudent fellow! But you promised, Reddy! Come, let me fix your hair!" Redbud sighed, and assented..