ife had had a
succession of admirers at her feet. Her father had eaten and drunk
and laughed, and had joked with his child's lovers about his child.
It had been through no merit of his that she had held her own among
them all without soiling either her name or her inner self. Captains
in West Indian regiments, and lieutenants from Queen's ships lying at
Spanish Point, had been her admirers. Proposals to marry are as ready
on the tongues of such men, out in the tropics, as offers to hand
a shawl or carry a parasol. They are soft-hearted, bold to face
the world, and very confident in circumstances. Then, too, they
are ignorant of any other way to progress with a flirtation which
is all-engrossing. In warm latitudes it is so natural to make an
offer after the fifth dance. It is the way of the people in those
latitudes, and seems to lead to no harm. Men and women do marry on
small incomes; but they do not starve, and the world goes on wagging.
Mary Bonner, however, whose father's rank had, at least, been higher
than that of her adorers, and who knew that great gifts had been
given to her, had held herself aloof from all this, and had early
resolved to bide her time. She was still biding her time,--with
patience sufficient to enable her to resist the glances of Ralph
Newton.

Clarissa Underwood behaved very well on this evening. She gave a
merry glance at her sister, and devoted herself to Miss Spooner. Mary
was so wise and so prudent that there was no cause for any great
agony. As far as Clary could see, Ralph had quite as much to say to
Patience as to Mary. For herself she had resolved that she would
wait. Her manner to him was very pretty,--almost the manner of
a sister to a brother. And then she stayed resolutely with Miss
Spooner, while Ralph was certainly tempting Mary down by the
river-side. It did not last long. He was soon gone, and Miss Spooner
had soon followed him.

"He is very amusing," Mary said, as soon as they were alone.

"Very amusing," said Patience.

"And uncommonly good-looking. Isn't he considered a very handsome man
here?"

"Yes;--I suppose he is," said Patience. "I don't know that I ever
thought much about that."

"Of course he is," said Clarissa. "Nobody can doubt about it. There
are some people as to whom it is as absurd not to admit that they are
handsome as it would be to say that a fine picture is not beautiful.
Ralph is one such person,--and of course I know another."

Mary would not