CHAPTER XLV.
HOURS IN THE OCTOBER WOODS.
In a week Redbud was going about again: slowly, it is true, and taking care not to fatigue herself, but still she was no longer confined to the house.
She rose one morning, and came down with a face full of happy expectation.
That day had been appointed for a holiday in the woods, and Fanny, Verty and Ralph were coming.

Soon they came.
Ralph was resplendent in a new suit of silk, which he had procured after numerous directions from our friend Mr.O'Brallaghan; Verty resembled the young forest emperor, which it was his wont to resemble, at least in costume;--and Fanny was clad in the finest and most coquettish little dress conceivable.

After mature deliberation, we are inclined to believe that her conquest of Ralph was on this day completed and perfected:--the conduct of that gentleman for some days afterwards having been very suspicious.

We need only say, that he sat at his window, gazing moonward--wrote sonnets in a very melancholy strain, and lost much of his ardor and vivacity.

These symptoms are sufficient for a diagnosis when one is familiar with the disease, and they were exhibited by Mr.Ralph, on the occasion mentioned.