brown-eyed, hard-handed, rugged of feature, and sometimes rugged of
speech; and the dainty woman who appeared born for a life of ease and
luxury.

"Beauty and the beast!" said one young woman to her companion as she
laid by her racquet. "I suppose he has the money?"

"Unless his mine proves successful I don't think either will have much;
but if Miss Austin is a beauty in a mild way, he's a noble beast, one
very likely to turn the tables upon a rash hunter," was the answer.
"And yet he's stalking blindly into the snare. Alas, poor lion!"

"You seem interested in him. I'm not partial to wild beasts myself,"
remarked her companion, and the other smiled as she answered:

"Hardly that, but I know the family history, and they are a curious
race with great capabilities for good or evil. It all depends upon how
they are led, because nobody could drive a Thurston. It is rather, I
must confess, an instinctive prejudice against the woman beside him. I
do not like, and would not trust, Miss Austin, though, of course,
except to you, my dear, I would not say so."

The young speaker glanced a moment towards the pair, and then passed on
with a slight frown upon her honest face, for Thurston bent over his
companion with something that suggested deadly earnestness in his
attitude, and the spectator assumed that Millicent Austin's head was
turned away from him, because she possessed a fine profile and not
because of excessive diffidence. Nor was the observer wrong, for
Millicent did little without a purpose, and was just then thinking
keenly as she said:

"I am very sorry to hear about your misfortune, Geoffrey, but there is
a way of escape from most disasters if one will look for it, you know,
and if you came to terms with them I understand those London people
would, at least, recoup you for your expenditure."

"You have heard of that!" exclaimed Geoffrey sharply, displeased that
his _fiancee_, who had been away, should betray so accurate a knowledge
of all that concerned his business affairs.

"Of course I did. I made Tom tell me. You will agree with them, will
you not?" the girl replied.

"So," said Geoffrey, with a slight huskiness. "I wish I could, but it
is impossible, and I am not pleased that Tom should tell you what I was
waiting to confide to you myself. Let that pass, for I want you to
listen to me. The old holding will have to go, and there is little
room for a poor man in this overcrowded country. As yo