h her, or something very like it; he knew too that
she would make him a very good wife, and the match was one that in
every way commended itself to his common sense and his interests. Yes,
he would certainly take his father's advice. But every time he said
this to himself--and he said it pretty often that evening--there would
arise before his mind's eye a vision of the sweet blue eyes of Miss
Lee's stately companion. What eyes they were, to be sure! It made
Philip's blood run warm and quick merely to think of them; indeed, he
could almost find it in his heart to wish that Hilda was Maria and
Maria was in Hilda's shoes.

What between thoughts of the young lady he had set himself to marry,
and of the young lady he did not mean to marry, but whose eyes he
admired, Philip did not sleep so well as usual that night.

CHAPTER V

Philip did not neglect to go to luncheon at Rewtham house, and a very
pleasant luncheon it was; indeed, it would have been difficult for him
to have said which he found the pleasantest: Maria's cheerful chatter
and flattering preference, or Hilda's sweet and gracious presence.

After luncheon, at Maria's invitation he gave Fraulein von Holtzhausen
her first lesson in writing in English character; and to speak truth
he found the task of guiding her fair hand through the mysteries of
the English alphabet a by no means uncongenial occupation. When he
came away his admiration of Hilda's blue eyes was more pronounced than
ever; but, on the other hand, so was his conviction that he would be
very foolish if he allowed it to interfere with his intention of
making Maria Lee his wife.

He who would drive two women thus in double harness must needs have a
light hand and a ready lash, and it is certainly to the credit of
Philip's cleverness that he managed so well as he did. For as time
went on he discovered his position to be this. Both Hilda and Maria
were in love with him, the former deeply and silently, the latter
openly and ostensibly. Now, however gratifying this fact might be to
his pride, it was in some ways a thorny discovery, since he dared not
visibly pay his attentions to either. For his part he returned Hilda
von Holtzhausen's devotion to a degree that surprised himself; his
passion for her burnt him like a fire, utterly searing away the traces
of his former affection for Maria Lee. Under these circumstances, most
young men of twenty-one would have thrown prudenc