ro,
evidently. In that one keen, quick glance, she read not only the face,
but the heart and soul of the man before her.

The captain felt as though he had been subjected to some wonderful
microscopic examination.

"She is one of those dreadfully shrewd girls that pretend to read
faces," he said to himself, while he bowed low before her, and replied
with enthusiasm to the introduction.

"My niece is quite a Darrell," said Sir Oswald, proudly. "You see she
has the Darrell face."

Again the gallant captain offered some flattering remark--a neatly
turned compliment, which he considered ought to have brought her down,
as a skillful shot does a bird--but the dark eyes saw only the lilies,
not him.

"She is proud, like all the Darrells," he thought; "my father always
said they were the proudest race in England."

"I hope," said Sir Oswald, courteously, "that you will enjoy your visit
here, Aubrey. Your father was my dearest friend, and it gives me great
delight to see you here."

"I am sure of it, Sir Oswald. I am equally happy; I cannot see how any
one could be dull for one minute in this grand old place."

Sir Oswald's face flushed with pleasure, and for the first time the dark
eyes slowly left the lilies and looked at the captain.

"I find not only one minute, but many hours in which to be dull," said
Pauline. "Do you like the country so well?"

"I like Darrell Court," he replied, with a bow that seemed to embrace
Sir Oswald, his niece, and all his possessions.

"You like it--in what way?" asked Pauline, in her terribly downright
manner. "It is your first visit, and you have been here only a few
minutes. How can you tell whether you like it?"

For a few moments Captain Langton looked slightly confused, and then he
rallied. Surely a man of the world was not to be defied by a mere girl.

"I have seen that at Darrell Court," he said, deferentially, "which will
make the place dear to me while I live."

She did not understand him. She was far too frank and haughty for a
compliment so broad. But Sir Oswald smiled.

"He is losing no time," thought the stately old baronet; "he is falling
in love with her, just as I guessed he would."

"I will leave you," said Sir Oswald, "to get better acquainted. Pauline,
you will show Captain Langton the aviary."

"Yes," she assented, carelessly. "But will you send Miss Hastings here?
She knows the various birds far better than I do."

Sir Oswald, with a pleased expression