lover," was the cool reply. "You can have nothing to say to me that might
not be said before the whole family."

"Am I your sister's lover? You know better, Dexie! I have been blinded by
her pretty face, but my eyesight has returned to me. I want something more
than beauty in my future wife," and he tried to catch her hand.

But Dexie was too quick for this movement, and she hotly replied:

"And I hope you may get it! May she be blessed with a temper hot enough to
make even a Frenchman tire of dancing to the music of her tongue!" and with
this retort she flew past him, and the door slammed behind her.

Hugh stood for a moment and gazed after her; then, turning on his heel,
pulled the ends of his long moustache into his mouth as he muttered to
himself:

"Not so bad, my little girl! The hot temper is there fast enough, but it
won't make me dance, unless it will be for joy at getting the owner of it."

This happened just the day before they started on their journey, and,
through the hours of that busy day, Dexie kept wondering what Hugh wished
to tell her. Should she see him and be done with it? No; for his earnest
looks and half-spoken words told all too plainly the nature of the
interview. Dexie never could explain, even to herself, why she disliked
Hugh so much; but his very presence seemed to raise up all the opposition
there was within her. To a stranger, he would have seemed more attractive
than Lancy Gurney. His figure had attained to manly proportions, and his
manner had a charm that was quite pleasing. His dark, handsome face and
brilliant black eyes seemed to tell of southern birth; and the heavy,
upward-curling moustache added much to his attractions. Dexie had looked
upon him with favorable eyes when she first came to Halifax. He had formed
a striking contrast to Gussie's fair beauty, but the memory of his handsome
face was far from pleasant as Dexie thought of the words he had spoken to
her in the hall.

Yet Hugh succeeded after all, and the five minutes he asked for thrice
repeated themselves before Dexie could escape from his presence.

The back of the house, or ell, which formed the kitchen, was a story less
in height than the main building, and its flat roof was often utilized by
both families as a drying-ground for small articles of clothing, and Dexie
had stepped out of the window that overlooked this roof to bring in some
forgotten articles that hung on the line.

It had been very warm all day,