hel never felt content if he were at Myrtlewood
without her seeing him, if only because she began to consider him as
more dangerous than his elder namesake, and so assured of his position
that he did not take any pains to assert it, or to cultivate Lady
Temple's good graces; he was simply at home and perfectly at ease with
her.

Colonel Keith's tone was different. He was argumentative where his young
cousin was sarcastic. He was reading some of the books over which Rachel
had strained her capacities without finding any one with whom to discuss
them, since all her friends regarded them as poisonous; and even Ermine
Williams, without being shaken in her steadfast trust, was so haunted
and distressed in her lonely and unvaried life by the echo of these
shocks to the faith of others, that absolutely as a medical precaution
she abstained from dwelling on them. On the other hand Colin Keith liked
to talk and argue out his impressions, and found in Rachel the only
person with whom the subject could be safely broached, and thus she for
the first time heard the subjects fairly handled. Hitherto she had never
thought that justice was done to the argument except by a portion of
the press, that drew conclusions which terrified while they allured
her, whereas she appreciated the candour that weighed each argument,
distinguishing principle from prejudice, and religious faith from
conventional construction, and in this measurement of minds she felt the
strength, and acuteness of powers superior to her own. He was not one
of the men who prefer unintellectual women. Perhaps clever men, of a
profession not necessarily requiring constant brain work, are not so
much inclined to rest the mind with feminine empty chatter, as are those
whose intellect is more on the strain. At any rate, though Colonel Keith
was attentive and courteous to every one, and always treated Lady Temple
as a prime minister might treat a queen, his tendency to conversation
with Rachel was becoming marked, and she grew increasingly prone to
consult him. The interest of this new intercourse quite took out the
sting of disappointment, when again Curatocult came back, "declined with
thanks." Nay, before making a third attempt she hazarded a question on
his opinion of female authorship, and much to her gratification, and
somewhat to her surprise, heard that he thought it often highly useful
and valuable.

"That is great candour. Men generally grudge whatever they think th