ceful, and I took a fancy to her at once,
perhaps because she held her arms out when she saw me, as if she thought
she beheld in me a friend. He did not please me so well, though there
is no gainsaying that he is handsome enough, and speaks, when he wishes
to, with a great deal of courtesy. But I thought he ought to give his
attention to his young and ailing wife, instead of being so concerned
about his baggage. Had that big box of his contained gold, he could not
have looked at it more lovingly or been more anxious about its handling.
He said it held books; but, pshaw! what is there in books, that a man
should love them better than his wife, and watch over their welfare with
the utmost concern, while allowing a stranger to help her out of the
carriage and up the inn steps?

But I will not dwell any longer upon this. Men are strange beings, and
must not be judged by rules that apply to women. Let me see if I can
remember when it was that I first saw her face. Ah, yes; it was in the
parlor. She had taken a seat there while her husband looked through the
house and decided which room to take. There were four empty, and two of
them were the choicest and airiest in the inn, but he passed by these
and insisted upon taking one that was stuffy with disuse, because it was
on the ground floor, and so convenient for us to bring his great box
into.

His great box! I was so provoked at this everlasting concern about his
great box, that I ran to the parlor, intending to ask the lady herself
to interfere. But when I got to the threshold I paused, and did not
speak, for the lady--or Mrs. Urquhart, as I presently found she called
herself--had risen from her seat and was looking in the glass with an
expression so sad and searching that I forgot my errand and only thought
of comforting her. But the moment she heard my step she drew down the
veil which she had tossed back, and coming quickly toward me, asked if
her husband had chosen a room.

I answered in the affirmative, and began to complain that it was not a
very cheerful one. But she paid small attention to my words, and
presently I found myself following her to the apartment designated. She
entered, making a picture, as she crossed the threshold, which I shall
not readily forget. For in her short, quick walk down the hall she had
torn the bonnet from her head, and though she was not a strictly
beautiful woman, she was sufficiently interesting to make her every
movement attractive.