of late. Captain O'Donnell, the brother of our secretary, is
handsomer, but we do not think him so trustworthy. Did you observe him
at all?--he sat by me. He has a conspirator's head.'

'What is that?' her brother asked her.

'Only a notion of mine.'

She was directed to furnish a compendious report of the sayings, doings,
and behaviour of the Irish secretary in the evening.

'If I find him there,' she said.

Her brother was of opinion that Mr. Patrick O'Donnell would be as good
as his word, and might be expected to appear there while the novelty
lasted.

CHAPTER XV. THE MATTOCK FAMILY

That evening's report of the demeanour of the young Irish secretary in
harness was not so exhilarating as John Mattock had expected, and he
inclined to think his sister guilty of casting her protecting veil
over the youth. It appeared that Mr. O'Donnell had been studious of his
duties, had spoken upon no other topic, had asked pertinent questions,
shown no flippancy, indulged in no extravagances. He seemed, Jane said,
eager to master details. A certain eagerness of her own in speaking
of it sharpened her clear features as if they were cutting through
derision. She stated it to propitiate her brother, as it might have
done but for the veracious picture of Patrick in the word 'eager,' which
pricked the scepticism of a practical man. He locked his mouth, looking
at her with a twinkle she refused to notice. 'Determined to master
details' he could have accepted. One may be determined to find a needle
in a dust-heap; one does not with any stiffness of purpose go at a
dust-heap eagerly. Hungry men have eaten husks; they have not betrayed
eagerness for such dry stuff. Patrick's voracity after details exhibited
a doubtfully genuine appetite, and John deferred his amusement until the
termination of the week or month when his dear good Jane would visit
the office to behold a vacated seat, or be assailed by the customary
proposal. Irishmen were not likely to be far behind curates in besieging
an heiress. For that matter, Jane was her own mistress and could very
well take care of herself; he had confidence in her wisdom.

He was besides of an unsuspicious and an unexacting temperament. The
things he would strongly object to he did not specify to himself because
he was untroubled by any forethought of them. Business, political,
commercial and marine, left few vacancies in his mind other than for
the pleasures he could command and enjoy