But  after  listening  to  their  conversation  for  a  little  while,
Johns  came  to  the  conclusion  that  they  were  very  clumsy,  and,
setting  down  their  chances  as  extremely  slight,  he  began  to
talk  to  Wilson  about  the  state  of  trade.
A  little  later,  however,  Miss  Wilson,  having  dismissed  her
trio  without  much  ceremony,  exclaimed —

"  Oh,  father,  we  don't  want  to  speak  of  business.  We  want
to  settle  what  we're  going  to  do  this  evening."

St.  George  at  once  proposed  a  walk,  but  Wilson  shook  his
head.  He  had  walked  enough  that  day.  St.  George  next
proposed  the  Casino,  but  the  young  girl  declared  she  was  tired
of  the  Casino.  Nothing  that  evening  was  taking  place  there.
Johns  made  no  proposal,  and  there  was  a  short  pause.
At  length  Miss  Wilson,  who  had  been  reflecting,  suddenly
clapped  her  hands.
"  I  have  it !  Mr.  Johns  will  tell  us  one  of  his  little  stories.
I've  heard  so  much  about  them  from  a  friend,  and  I'm  dying
to  hear  one  of  them.  Now,  Mr.  Johns,  you  won't  refuse  me,
will  you  ?  "

Johns,  thus  appealed  to,  said  that  nothing  would  give  him
greater  pleasure,  and,  after  a  moment  to  collect  his  thoughts,
he  told  them  the  best  of  his  little  narratives,  one  that  he  knew
by  heart,  and  which  he  related  with  so  much  skill,  alternating
so  cleverly  between  humour  and  subdued  pathos  as  he  pro-
gressed, that  the  end  was  greeted  by  a  prolonged  murmur
of  admiration  on  the  part,  not  only  of  the  young  girl,  but  of
her  father  also.
"Oh,"  said  Miss  Wilson,  naively,  "how  I  wish  I  could  tell
such  beautiful,  such  charming  little  stories  ! "  and  she  looked
at  Johns  half-shyly,  as  if  impressed  by  his  subtlety,  his  knowledge
of  human  nature.
