so soft and melting they were
beautiful, and yet there was something absolutely terrible in their
depths. It seemed some way like looking down into a volcano! And the
worst of it was, they seemed to hold me--I couldn't take my eyes from
his. He was as kind and courteous as could be, I'll admit that, but even
the touch of his fingers made me shiver."

Darrell's face had darkened during Kate's recital, but he controlled his
anger.

"Now, was that due to my own imagination or to some uncanny spell of
his?" Kate insisted.

"To neither wholly, and yet perhaps a little of each," Darrell answered,
lightly, not wishing to alarm her or lead her to attach undue importance
to the occurrence. "I think Mr. Walcott has an abnormal amount of
conceit, and that most of those little mannerisms of his are mainly to
attract attention to himself. He was probably trying to produce some
sort of an impression on your mind, and to that extent he certainly
succeeded, only the impression does not seem to have been as favorable
as he perhaps would have wished. No one but a conceited cad would have
attempted such a thing, and with your supersensitive nature the effect
on you was anything but pleasant, but don't allow yourself to think
about it or be annoyed by it. At the same time I would advise you not to
place yourself in his power or where he could have any advantage of you.
By the way, this is our waltz, is it not?"

"It is," Kate replied, rising and watching Darrell as he removed her
wrap and prepared to escort her to the ball-room. His playful badinage
had not deceived her. As she took his arm she said, in a low tone,--

"You affect to treat this matter rather lightly, but, all the same, you
have warned me against this man. 'Forewarned is forearmed,' you know,
and no man can ever attempt to harm me or mine with impunity!"

Darrell turned quickly in surprise; there was a quality in her tone
wholly unfamiliar.

"But I fear you exaggerate what I intended to convey," he said, hastily;
"I do not know that he would ever deliberately seek to harm you, but he
might render himself obnoxious in some way, as he did to-night."

She shook her head. "I was taken off guard to-night," she said; "but he
had best never attempt anything of the kind a second time!"

They were now waiting for the waltz to begin; she continued, in the same
low tone:

"I have had a western girl's education. When I was a child this place
was little more than a rough mini