h a bland expression. "Leo has hit the nail upon the head. Those two
are in love with each other----"

"I said '_if_,'" said Leo, loudly.

"'If--well 'if,' Madam Sceptic,--but I suppose you will allow they have
taken the only means in their power of showing it? Well, what more do
they want but to get married as fast as they can?"

"We could not have had the wedding sooner, father," said Sue.

"I suppose not; but another three weeks of Paul--though I'm not saying a
word against Paul, mind you;--only, the truth is, I have to be so
confoundedly careful before him, that it's--it's a strain."

He had indeed been milder and more amicable in every-day life of late,
than any one could ever remember him before.

"I like the fellow;" he now mused aloud; "he treats me as I ought to be
treated--not as that young ass Purcell does. Val licks my boots and
hates me: but Paul has a nice, cheerful, respectful way----"

"Oh, he has all the virtues, no doubt,"--but Leo's mocking interpolation
was overborne by her father's steady tones--"We talk, and he doesn't
browbeat me. You may look at each other, but I know how a gentleman
should behave among gentlemen. When people are polite to me, I am polite
to them. And as I know that Paul has his foibles, religious foibles, I
am on my guard; while as for him, he never thrusts them on my notice.
There was that day that I saw him coming across the park before
breakfast, and guessed where he had been--at the early service, of
course,--well, all I said when we met in the hall was, 'You must have
had a nice walk?' There's tact for you. From that day to this, neither
of us has ever remarked upon it."

"It was such a sneaking, shocking thing to do," said Leo, ironically.

"Eh? What? 'Pon my soul, child, that was more like Maud than you.
Sneaking? Shocking? It was the sort of thing a gentleman does _quietly_,
that's all; and it would have been in the worst possible taste to have
taken any notice of what was not meant to be known."

He resumed his paper, and his daughters left the room together.

"I am sorry, Leo, that you don't like Paul," said Sue, as the door
closed. She had felt for some time that she must say it, and if possible
fathom to what was due a sense of tension in the air. "It is strange,"
continued she, "for to me and to the rest of us he appears so very
lovable. Have you--what is it you find--you feel--you dislike in him,
dear?"

"I find--I feel--I dislike in him--nothing. He i