fancy she can talk when she pleases, Walter. But you mustn't fall
in love with her."

"I won't, if I can help it."

"In the first place I think she is as good as engaged to a fellow
with a very pretty property in Wiltshire, and in the next place she
hasn't got--one shilling."

"There is not much danger. I am not inclined to trouble myself about
any girl in my present mood, even if she had the pretty property
herself, and wasn't engaged to anybody. I suppose I shall get over it
some day, but I feel just at present as though I couldn't say a kind
word to a human being."

"Psha! psha! that's nonsense, Walter. Take things coolly. They're
more likely to come right, and they won't be so troublesome, even if
they don't." Such was the philosophy of Parson John,--for the sake
of digesting which the captain lit a cigar, and went out to smoke it,
standing at one of the open slate-coloured gates.

It was said in the first chapter of this story that Mr. Gilmore was
one of the heroes whose deeds the story undertakes to narrate, and
a hint was perhaps expressed that of all the heroes he was the
favourite. Captain Marrable is, however, another hero, and, as such,
some word or two must be said of him. He was a better-looking man,
certainly, than Mr. Gilmore, though perhaps his personal appearance
did not at first sight give to the observer so favourable an idea of
his character as did that of the other gentleman. Mr. Gilmore was
to be read at a glance as an honest, straightforward, well-behaved
country squire, whose word might be taken for anything, who might,
perhaps, like to have his own way, but who could hardly do a cruel
or an unfair thing. He was just such a man to look at as a prudent
mother would select as one to whom she might entrust her daughter
with safety. Now Walter Marrable's countenance was of a very
different die. He had served in India, and the naturally dark colour
of his face had thus become very swarthy. His black hair curled round
his head, but the curls on his brow were becoming very thin, as
though age were already telling on them, and yet he was four or five
years younger than Mr. Gilmore. His eyebrows were thick and heavy,
and his eyes seemed to be black. They were eyes which were used
without much motion; and when they were dead set, as they were not
unfrequently, it would seem as though he were defying those on whom
he looked. Thus he made many afraid of him, and many who were not
afraid of him, disli