Then his glance questioned Miss Fanny, who sat with a prim and demure affectation of stateliness, on the opposite side of the room.

There was no explanation here either.
While Verty was thus gazing silently, and with growing embarrassment, at the two young girls, Redbud, with a beating heart, and trembling lips, played with the tassel of the sofa-cushion, and studied the figure of the carpet.
Fanny came to the rescue of the expiring conversation, and seizing forcibly upon the topic of the weather, inserted that useful wedge into the rapidly closing crack, and waited for Verty to strike the first blow.
Unfortunately, Verty did not hear her; he was gazing at Redbud.
Fanny pouted, and tossed her head.

So she was not good enough for the elegant Mr.Verty!--she was not even worth a reply! He might talk himself, then! Verty did not embrace this tacit permission--he remained silent; and gazing on Redbud, whose color began slowly to rise, as with heaving bosom and down-cast eyes she felt the young man's look--he experienced more and more embarrassment--a sentiment which began to give way to distress.
At last he rose, and going to her side, took her hand.
Redbud slowly drew it away, still without meeting his gaze.
He asked, in a low voice, if she was angry with him.
No--she was not very well to-day; that was all.
And then the long lashes drooped still more with the heavy drops which weighed them down; the cheeks were covered with a deeper crimson; the slender frame became still more agitated.

Oh! nothing but those words--"if you would prevent him from suffering"-- could bear her through this trying interview: they were enough, however--she would be strong.
And as she came to this determination, Redbud nearly sobbed--the full cup very nearly ran over with its freight of tears.

With a beseeching, pleading glance, she appealed to Fanny to come to her assistance.
Such an appeal is never in vain; the free-masonry of the sex has no unworthy members.