s dexterity and acuteness of mind; indeed, his
whole expression and mien

"Were, as are the eagle's keen,
All the man was aquiline."

These personal characteristics taking some minutes to describe were
almost an instantaneous revelation to Ethel, for what the soul sees it
sees in a flash of understanding. But at that time she only answered her
impressions without any inquiry concerning them. She was absorbed by the
personal presence of the men, and all that was lovely and lovable in her
nature responded to their admiration.

As they strolled together through a flowery alley, she made them pass
their hands through the thyme and lavender, and listen to a bird singing
its verses, loud and then soft, in the scented air above them. They
came out where the purple plums and golden apricots were beginning to
brighten a southern wall, and there, moodily walking by himself, they
met Mostyn face to face. An angry flash and movement interpreted his
annoyance, but he immediately recovered himself, and met Ethel and his
late political opponent with polite equanimity. But a decided constraint
fell on the happy party, and Ethel was relieved to hear the first
tones of the great bell swing out from its lofty tower the call to the
dining-room.

As far as Mostyn was concerned, this first malapropos meeting indicated
the whole evening. His heart was beating quickly to some sense of defeat
which he did not take the trouble to analyze. He only saw the man who
had shattered his political hopes and wasted his money in possession
also of what he thought he might rightly consider his place at Ethel's
side. He had once contemplated making Ethel his bride, and though the
matrimonial idea had collapsed as completely as the political one, the
envious, selfish misery of the "dog in the manger" was eating at his
heartstrings. He did not want Ethel; but oh, how he hated the thought of
either John Thomas or that American Raw-don winning her! His seat at the
dinner-table also annoyed him. It was far enough from the objects of
his resentment to prevent him hearing or interfering in their merry
conversation; and he told himself with passionate indignation that Ethel
had never once in all their intercourse been so beautiful and bright as
she revealed herself that evening to those two Rawdon youths--one a mere
loom-master, the other an American whom no one knew anything about.

The long, bewitching hours of the glorious evening added fuel to the
f