l the life and variety of which her face was abundantly
capable had disappeared; the corners of the mouth drawn down, the brow
rigid, the eyes rayless, she sat an image of childish desolation. She
looked even stupid, if that were possible to Esther's features and
character.

What the father did not see was revealed to another person, who came in
noiselessly at the open door. This new-comer was a young man, hardly
yet arrived at the dignity of young manhood; he might have been
eighteen, but he was really older than his years. His figure was well
developed, with broad shoulders and slim hips, showing great muscular
power and the symmetry of beauty as well. The face matched the figure;
it was strong and fine, full of intelligence and life, and bearing no
trace of boyish wilfulness. If wilfulness was there, which I think, it
was rather the considered and consistent wilfulness of a man. As he
came in at the open door, Esther's position and look struck him; he
paused half a minute. Then he came forward, came to the colonel's sofa,
and standing there bowed respectfully.

The colonel's book went down. 'Ah, William,' said he, in a tone of
indifferent recognition.

'How do you do, sir, to-day?'

'Not very well! my strength seems to be giving way, I think, by
degrees.'

'We shall have warm weather for you soon again, sir; that will do you
good.'

'I don't know,' said the colonel. 'I doubt it; I doubt it. Unless it
could give me the power of eating, which it cannot.

'You have no appetite?'

'That does not express it.'

There was an almost imperceptible flash in the eyes that were looking
down at him, the features, however, retaining their composed gravity.

'Perhaps shad will tempt you. We shall have them very soon now. Can't
you eat shad?'

'Shad,' repeated the colonel. 'That's your New England piscatory
dainty? I have never found out why it is so reckoned.'

'You cannot have eaten them, sir; that's all. That is, not cooked
properly. Take one broiled over a fire of corn cobs.'

'A fire of corn cobs!'

'Yes, sir; over the coals of such a fire, of course, I mean.'

'Ah! What's the supposed advantage?'

'Flavour, sir; gusto; a spicy delicacy, which from being the spirit of
the fire comes to be the spirit of the fish. It is difficult to put
anything so ethereal into words.' This was spoken with the utmost
seriousness.

'Ah!' said the colonel. 'Possibly. Barker manages those things.'

'You do not feel well eno