ould see himself standing there in the early light, looking out on the
shining waters of the river. They say that when you see yourself too
vividly--when you imagine that you yourself are standing before
yourself--that is one of the signs of madness.

CHAPTER VI.

A SUMMER DAY ON THE THAMES.

It occurred to him as he walked down to the station--perhaps he went
early on the chance of finding her there alone--that he ought seriously
to study the features of this girl's face; for was there not a great
deal of character to be learned, or guessed at, that way? He had but
the vaguest notion of what she was really like. He knew that her teeth
were pearly white when she smiled, and that the rippling golden-brown
hair lay rather low on a calm and thoughtful forehead; but he had a less
distinct impression that her nose was perhaps the least thing
_retrousse_; and as to her eyes? They might be blue, gray, or green, but
one thing he was sure of was that they could speak more than was ever
uttered by any speech. He knew, besides, that she had an exquisite
figure: perhaps it was the fact that her shoulders were a trifle squarer
than is common with women that made her look somewhat taller than she
really was.

He would confirm or correct these vague impressions. And as the chances
were that they would spend a whole long day together, he would have
abundant opportunity of getting to know something about the character
and disposition of this new acquaintance, so that she should no longer
be to him a puzzling and distracting will-o'-the-wisp. What had he come
to London for but to improve his knowledge of men and of women, and to
see what was going on in the larger world? And so this earnest student
walked down to the station.

There were a good many people about, mostly in groups chatting with each
other; but he recognized no one. Perhaps he was looking out for Colonel
and Mrs. Ross; perhaps for a slender figure in black, with blue beads;
at all events, he was gazing somewhat vacantly around when some one
turned close by him. Then his heart stood still for a second. The sudden
light that sprang to her face when she recognized him blinded him. Was
it to be always so? Was she always to come upon him in a flash, as it
were? What chance had the poor student of fulfilling his patient task
when, on his approach, he was sure to be met by this surprise of the
parted lips, and sudden smile, and bright look? He was far too
bewildered