Beta Book

He tore
open the letter, which was simply directed to "Mr. Verty, at Judge
Rushton's office," and found his dream dispelled. Alas! the name, at
the foot of the manuscript, was not "Redbud"--it was "Sallianna!"
And so, when the young man's hopes were overturned, the bright flash
of his clear eye was veiled in mist again, and his hand fell, with a
gesture of discouragement, which Roundjacket found no difficulty in
understanding.
Verty's face drooped upon his hand, and with the other hand, which
held the letter, hanging down at the side of his chair, he sighed
profoundly. He remained thus, buried in thought, for some time,
Roundjacket gazing at him in silence. He was aroused by something
pulling at the letter, which turned to be Longears, who was biting
Miss Sallianna's epistle in a literary way, and this aroused him. He
saw Roundjacket looking at him.
"Ah--ah!" said that gentleman, "it seems, young man, that the letter
is not to your taste."
Verty sighed.
"I hav'nt read it," he said.


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