n the hall.

"I am very glad to see you, Mr. Woodward," said he. "Allow me to conduct
you to the drawing-room, where you will meet Mrs. Goodwin, Alice, and a
particular friend of ours. I cannot myself stop long with you, because
I am engaged on particular business; but you will not miss an old fellow
like me when you have better company. I hope my old friends are all
well. Step in, sir. Here is Mr. Woodward, ladies; Mr. Woodward, this
gentleman is a friend of ours, Mr. Ferdora O'Connor; Ferdora, this is
Mr. Woodward; and now I must leave you to entertain each other; but I
shall return, Mr. Woodward, before you go, unless you are in a great
harry. Bridget, see that luncheon is ready; but you must lay it in the
front parlor, because I have these tenants about me in the dining-room,
as it is so much larger."

"I have already given orders for that," replied his wife. He then
hurried out and left them, evidently much gratified by Woodward's visit.
O'Connor and the latter having scanned each other by a glance or two,
bowed with that extreme air of politeness which is only another name for
a want of cordiality. O'Connor was rather a plain-looking young fellow,
as to his person and general appearance; but his Milesian face was
handsome, and his eye clear and candid, with a dash of determination
and fire in it. Very different, indeed, was it from the eye that was
scrutinizing him at that moment, with such keenness and penetration.
There are such things as antipathies; otherwise why should those two
individuals entertain, almost in a moment's time, such a secret and
unaccountable disrelish towards each other? Woodward did not love Alice,
so that the feeling could not proceed from jealousy; and we will so far
throw aside mystery as to say here, that neither did O'Connor; and,
we may add still further, that poor, innocent, unassuming Alice was
attached to neither of them.

"I hope your brother is well, sir," said O'Connor, anxious to break the
ice, and try the stuff Woodward was made of. "I have not seen him for
some time."

"O! then, you are acquaintances?" said Woodward.

"We are more, sir," replied O'Connor, "we are friends."

"I hope you are all well," interrupted kind-hearted Mrs. Goodwin.

"Quite well, my dear madam," he replied. Then turning to O'Connor: "To
be a friend to my brother, sir," he said, "next to finding you a friend
and favorite in this family, is the warmest recommendation to me. My
long absence from ho