"Sometimes," said Verty, smiling, "I would try and get it away by drawing in my breath, and ever so long; but I could'nt," he added, shaking his head; "I don't know what it means."
Mr. Jinks, who was dusting his rosetted shoes with a white pocket handkerchief, grimaced at this.
"Well, well," Verty went on, "I begin to feel better now, since I've seen you; and, I think, I'll do better in my office work."
"Office work?" asked Redbud, beginning to grow more like her former self.
"Oh, yes!" Verty replied; "I'm in Mr. Rushton's office now, and I'm a lawyer's clerk;--that's what they call it, I believe."
Redbud returned his bright smile. Her eye wandered toward Cloud, who stood perfectly still--the turkey, which had not been removed, yet dangling at his saddle-bow.
Verty followed the young girl's glance, and smiled.
"I know what you are looking at," he said; "you are looking at that wild turkey, and thinking that I am a poor sort of a lawyer, with such a book to read out of. But I shot him coming along."
Redbud laughed; her coolness could not last in Verty's presence; his fresh voice, so full of their old happy times, made her a child again.
"And how did you find me'?" she said, in her old tone.
Verty experienced,--he knew not why,--a feeling of extreme delight, on hearing his name from her lips.
"Yes, I did so, Redbud," he replied, confidentially, "and I cured him, too. Look at him, up there on the roof, coo-cooing! He was sailing over the town, and I sent an arrow after him, and brought him straight down."
"I never would 'a shot him if I had seen the name on his neck."
"Yours, Redbud. There was a piece of paper, and on it--but here's the paper."
And Verty took from his bosom the yellow scroll, and placed it in Redbud's hand.
She took it, smiling, and read the words--"I am Miss Redbud's pigeon, and Fanny gave me to her."
"Oh, yes," she said, "and I am glad he's come back; poor fellow, I hav'nt seen him for days!"
"You know that was what I wanted. I cured him, and then let him go, and followed him, and found you."
Verty, in an absent way, took Miss Redbud's hand, and was guilty of the bad taste of squeezing it.
The reply and the action seemed to recall Redbud to herself; and she suddenly drew back with a blush.