s. But influenced by objections to certain
things, Griffith was not to be treated suavely, but rather resented it.
There was no good reason for his resenting it, but resent it he did,
as openly as he could, without being an absolute savage and attracting
attention. The weakness of such a line of conduct is glaringly patent,
of course, to the well-regulated mind; but then Mr. Griffith Donne's
mind was not well-regulated, and he was, on the contrary, a very
hot-headed, undisciplined young man, and exceedingly sensitive to his
own misfortunes and shabbiness, and infatuated in his passion for the
object of his enemy's admiration. But Ralph Gowan could afford to be
tolerant; in the matter of position he was secure, he had never been
slighted or patronized in his life, and so had no shrinkings from such
an ordeal; he was not disturbed by any bitter pang of jealousy as yet,
and so, while he could not understand Griffith's restless anxiety to
resent his presence, could still tolerate it and keep cool. Yet, as
might be expected, he rather underrated his antagonist. Seeing him
only in this one unfavorable light, he regarded him simply as a rather
ill-bred, or, at least, aggressively inclined individual, whose temper
and tone of mind might reasonably be objected to. Once or twice he had
even felt his own blood rise at some implied ignoring of himself; but
he was far the more urbane and well-disposed of the two, yet whether lie
was to be highly lauded for his forbearance, or whether, while lauding
him, it would not be as well to think as well as possible of his enemy,
is a matter for charity to decide.

It had not occurred to him before that Griffith's frequent and
unceremonious visits implied anything very serious. There were so many
free-and-easy visitors at the house, and they all so plainly cultivated
Dolly, if they did not make actual love to her; and really outsiders
would hardly have been impressed with her deportment toward her
betrothed. She was not prone to exhibit her preference sentimentally in
public. So Ralph Gowan had been deceived,--and so he was deceived still.

"This sort of fellow," as he mentally put it with unconscious
high-handedness, was not the man to make such a woman happy, however
ready she was to bear with him. It was just such men as he was, who,
when the novelty of possession wore off, deteriorated into tyrannical,
irritable husbands, and were not too well bred in their manners. So he
became reflectiv