what I said when talking to him. Whatever I
said was a mere involuntary accord with him. I never recollect to have
felt that I did not agree with and admire every word he uttered.

How different his manner from last night when he had talked with Mary
Leighton; all the stiffness, the half-concealed repelling tone was
gone. I had not heard him speak to any one, except perhaps once to
Benny, as he spoke now. I was quite sure that he liked me, and that he
did not class me with the others in the house. But when the
breakfast-bell rang, he gave a slight start, and his voice changed; and
such a frown came over his face! He looked at his watch, said something
about the hour, and quickly left the room. I bent my head over my book
and sat still, till I heard them all come down and go into the
breakfast-room. I trusted they would not know he had been talking to me,
and there was little danger, unless they guessed it from my cheeks being
so aflame.

At breakfast he was more silent than ever, and his brow had not quite
got over that sudden frown. At dinner he was away again, as the
day before.

The day passed much as yesterday had done. About four o'clock there came
a telegram from Kilian to his sister. He had been delayed, and Mr.
Whitney would wait for him, and they would come the next evening by the
boat. I think Mary Leighton could have cried if she had not been
ashamed. Her pretty blue organdie was on the bed ready to put on. It
went back into the wardrobe very quickly, and she came down to tea in a
gray barege that was a little shabby.

A rain had come on about six o'clock. At tea the candles were lit, and
the windows closed. Every one looked moped and dull; the evening
promised to be insufferable. Mrs. Hollenbeck saw the necessity of
rousing herself and providing us some amusement. When Mr. Langenau
entered, she met his bow with one of her best smiles: how the change
must have struck him; for she had been very mechanical and polite to him
before. Now she spoke to him with the charming manner that brought every
one to her feet.

And what was the cause of this sudden kindness? It is very easy for me
to see now, though then I had not a suspicion. Alas! I am afraid that
the cheeks aflame at breakfast-time were the immediate cause of the
change. Mrs. Hollenbeck would not have made so marked a movement for an
evening's entertainment: it seemed to suit her very well that I should
talk to the tutor in the library before breakfa