"Little  boy!"

He  looked  up  and  saw  a  girl  standing  on  the  lower  bar
of  a  little  wooden  gate,  painted  white,  looking  over.
"  Please  bring  me  my  ball,"  said  she  pathetically.
Compton  looked  about,  and  saw  a  soft  ball  of  many
colors  lying  near.
He  put  down  his  cowslips  gravely,  and  brought  her
the  ball.  He  gave  it  her  with  a  blush,  because  she  was
a  strange  girl ;  and  she  blushed  a  little  because  he  did.
372  A  TERBIBLB  TEMPTATION.
He  returned  to  Ms  cowslips.
"Little  boy!"  said  the  voice,  "please  bring  me  my
ball  again."

He  brought  it  to  her  with  undisturbed  politeness.  She
was  giggling ;  he  laughed  too  at  that.
"You  did  it  on  purpose  that  time,"  said  he  solemnly.
"  La !  you  don't  think  I'd  be  so  wicked,"  said  she.
Compton  shook  his  head  doubtfully,  and  considering
the  interview  at  an  end,  turned  to  go,  when  instantly  the
ball  knocked  his  hat  off,  and  nothing  of  the  malefactress
was  visible,  but  a  black  eye  sparkling  with  fun  and  mis-
chief, and  a  bit  of  forehead  wedged  against  the  angle  of
the  wall.
This  being  a  challenge,  Compton  said,  "Now  you  come
out  after  that,  and  stand  a  shot  like  a  man."

The  invitation  to  be  masculine  did  not  tempt  her  a  bit.
The  only  thing  she  put  out  was  her  hand,  and  that  she
drew  in  with  a  laugh  the  moment  he  threw  at  it.
At  this  juncture  a  voice  cried,  "Kuperta!  what  are  you
doing  there  ?  "

Euperta  made  a  rapid  signal  with  her  hand  to  Compton,
implying  that  he  was  to  run  away ;  and  she  herself  walked
demurely  towards  the  person  who  had  called  her.
