hen he began to entertain his
two fair companions with an account of a rat hunt, which surprised Emily
not a little, and drew, almost instantly, from Mrs. Hazleton a monitory
gesture.

The young man looked confused, and broke off, suddenly, with an
embarrassed laugh, saying, "Oh! I forgot, such exploits are not very fit
for ladies' ears; and, to say the truth, I do not much like them myself
when there is any thing better to do."

"I should think that something better might always be found," replied
Mrs. Hazleton, gravely, taking to her own lips the reproof which she
knew was in Emily's heart; "but, I dare say, you were a boy when this
happened?"

"Oh, quite a boy," he said, "quite a boy. I have other things to think
of now."

But the impression was made, and it was not favorable. With keen
acuteness Mrs. Hazleton watched every look, and every turn of the
conversation; and seeing that the course of things had begun ill for her
purposes, she very soon proposed to order the carriage and return;
resolving to take, as it were, a fresh start on the following day. She
did not then ask young Ayliffe to dine at her house, as she had, at
first, intended; but was well pleased, notwithstanding, to see him mount
his horse in order to accompany them on the way back; for she had
remarked that his horsemanship was excellent, and well knew that skill
in manly exercises is always a strong recommendation in a woman's eyes.
Nor was this all: decidedly handsome in person, John Ayliffe had,
nevertheless, a certain common--not exactly vulgar--air, when on his
feet, which was lost as soon as he was in the saddle. There, with a
perfect seat, and upright, dashing carriage, managing a fierce, wild
horse with complete mastery, he appeared to the greatest advantage. All
his horsemanship was thrown away upon Emily. If she had been asked by
any one, she would have admitted, at once, that he was a very handsome
man, and a good and graceful rider; but she never asked herself whether
he was or not; and, indeed, did not think about it at all.

One thing, however, she did think, and that was not what Mrs. Hazleton
desired. She thought him a coarse and vulgar-minded young man; and she
wondered how a woman of such refinement as Mrs. Hazleton could be
pleased with his society. There was at the end of that day only one
impression in his favor, which was produced by an undefinable
resemblance to her father, evanescent, but ever returning. There was no
o