. Suddenly the
lady broke her engagement. She had been dazzled by the superior
brilliancy of a ducal coronet.

"It was a cruel blow alike to the affection and pride of Lord Fairfax,
and wrought a change in both character and conduct. From that time he
almost avoided the sex, and became shy and embarrassed in their society,
excepting among those with whom he was connected or particularly
intimate. This may have been among the reasons which ultimately induced
him to abandon the gay world and bury himself in the wilds of America."

Lord Fairfax was charmed by the appearance of George.

"A remarkable lad," he said to his relative, William Fairfax; "so manly,
so intelligent in knowledge beyond his years."

"Yet not a mere book-worm," replied William. "No boy likes games and
hunting better than he."

"A capital horseman, I notice," added the nobleman; "strong and powerful
for one of his years. Yet he likes books. It seems to me that he is
unusually fond of reading."

Lord Fairfax possessed quite a number of valuable books, new and rare to
George, who had pored over them with absorbing interest. The nobleman
inferred that he must possess an unusual taste for reading, and this was
really true.

"Yes, he generally wants to know what the books he meets with contain,"
responded William. "He has made the contents of such books as he could
reach his own."

"I must take him out hunting with me," continued Lord Fairfax. "He will
make a good companion, I imagine."

Lord Fairfax delighted in fox-hunting. In England, before he came to
this country, his best sport was found in the fox-hunt. He kept his
hounds, and all the accoutrements for the chase, so that he was always
prepared for the sport. He found increased pleasure in the pastime after
George became his companion in the chase. The latter enjoyed it, too,
with a keen relish. It was not altogether new to him; he had been
occasionally on such excursions with others. But the English nobleman
understood fox-hunting as no one else in Virginia did. He had learned it
as practised by English lords, who live in baronial style. For this
reason George enjoyed the wild sport as he never did before.

One day George was surprised by a proposition from Lord Fairfax.

"How would you like to survey my lands for me, George? You appear to
understand the business."

"I should like nothing better if I can do it to suit you," George
answered. "I like surveying."

"Well, the only way for