le, arrived. He passed along the path
below the lily-bed, and I saw him well. He was a fine-looking fellow,
sunburnt, like one who had seen foreign service, and handsome:
physically handsomer than John, I could see, with more of the dash of
gallantry and air of the grand gentleman, but with less of that
something I have hinted at before, soul, spirituality--what shall I call
it, my dears, to escape being smiled at? You have known John
Hollingford, and you will recognise the charm that I mean, something
that--sick, or afflicted, or disfigured, or aged--must always make him
lovable, and attract the pure of heart to his side.

Well, Arthur Noble was of a different stamp. How he would have looked
out of the sunshine of prosperity, I do not know; but he seemed made to
be gilt by it from head to foot. He had a pleasant face, sunny and
frank, a high-bred, masterful air, and an amiable courtly manner.
Physically he had all the fine points of a Saxon hero, fair hair, blue
eyes, powerful frame. Yet, gay, and debonnair, and happy as he looked, I
pitied him a little, going past to find Rachel. A little, not a great
deal, for I judged him (wrongly, as it afterwards proved) to be one who
would love lightly, and be easily consoled by a world whose darling he
must be.

I saw their meeting, and John's aerial palace crumbled away into dust.
There was no mistaking Rachel's face, the glow that transfigured it when
she turned by chance and saw the figure advancing towards her. She
sprang to meet him with hands extended, gown tucked aside as it was, and
visibly flying feet; and he, striding on, opened his arms to receive
her, and folded them reverently about her, like a true knight embracing
his bride.

"And what about John?" I said angrily, as I watched the two walking up
and down between the roses, talking as eagerly and joyously as if they
had just received a charter for perpetual happiness.

That was a dull evening for some of us at the Hall. Rachel and her
betrothed sat apart and talked. Grace played chess with Mr. Hill, and,
to escape from Captain Tyrrell, I kept close to Mrs. Hill.

"I am quite in a dilemma, my dear," she whispered to me. "There is young
Hollingford, who has been coming about the Hall so much, and will be
coming about; and then here is Arthur Noble; and you know, my dear, or
perhaps you do not know that there has been a deadly feud between their
fathers. They were once friends; but poor Mr. Hollingford--you know