added he, after a moment's pause,
during which he looked her full in the face. Then seeming to perceive
the embarrassment which his scrutiny of her features caused, he turned
away, and a shadow passed over his fine countenance, lending it for a
moment an expression of mingled bitterness and pathos, which served to
disarm Gertrude's confusion.

Presently, taking a vacant chair next hers, he directed his attention
to a beautiful country residence on their right, spoke of its former
owner, whom he had met in a foreign land, and related some interesting
anecdotes concerning a journey which they had taken together. This
introduced other topics, chiefly connected with wanderings in countries
almost unknown; and so rich and varied was the stranger's conversation,
so graphic were his descriptions, so exuberant his imagination, and so
powerful his command of words and his gift of expressing his thoughts,
that his listener sat entranced with delight.

When Dr. Jeremy came in search of his young charge, conversation between
her and the stranger had assumed so much ease and freedom that the
doctor opened his eyes in astonishment, shrugged his shoulders, and
exclaimed, "This is pretty well, I declare!"

Gertrude did not see the doctor approach, but looked up at the sound of
his voice. Conscious of the surprise it must be to find her talking so
familiarly with a stranger, she coloured slightly; but observing that
her companion only smiled, she felt rather amused than embarrassed; and
she began to feel confidence in her fellow-traveller, who rose, shook
hands with Dr. Jeremy, to whom he had, the previous day, been
introduced, and said, with perfect composure, "Will you have the
kindness, sir, to present me to this lady? We have already had some
conversation together, but do not yet know by what name we may address
each other."

Dr. Jeremy having performed the ceremony of introduction, Mr. Phillips
bowed gracefully, and looked at Gertrude in such a benignant, fatherly
way, that she hesitated not to take his offered hand. He detained hers a
moment while he said, "Do not be afraid of me when we meet again;" and
then walked away, and paced slowly up and down the deck until passengers
for Catskill were summoned to dinner, when he, Dr. Jeremy, and Gertrude
went below. The doctor tried to rally Gertrude about her grey-headed
beau, declaring that he was yet young and handsome, and that she could
have his hair dyed any colour she pleased.