m
Paris in order to be in this country in time for his vote, I should
probably have been induced to marry her. Her father is in Congress this
year, and you see, she no sooner learns that I am here, than she comes
to spend part of the winter with a friend in New-York."

Henry arose at this, walked to a glass, surveyed his elegant figure, and
continuing to cast occasional glances at it as he walked backwards and
forwards through the room, resumed the conversation, or rather his own
communication.

"All this is very encouraging, doubtless; but Emma Harcourt is so
perfectly elegant, so thoroughly refined, that I dread the effect upon
her of any _outre_ association--by the by, mother, if I obtain her
permission to introduce you to her, you will not wear that brown hat in
visiting her--a brown hat is my aversion--it is positively vulgar--but
to return to George--how can I introduce him, with his rough,
boisterous, Western manner, to this courtly lady?--the very thought
chills me"--and Henry Manning shivered--"and yet, how can I avoid it, if
we should be engaged?"

With December came the beautiful Emma Harcourt, and Mrs. Duffield's
house was thronged with her admirers. Hers was the form and movement of
the Huntress Queen rather than of one trained in the halls of fashion.
There was a joyous freedom in her air, her step, her glance, which, had
she been less beautiful, less talented, less fortunate in social
position or in wealth, would have placed her under the ban of fashion;
but, as it was, she commanded fashion, and even Henry Manning, the very
slave of conventionalism, had no criticism for her. He had been among
the first to call on her, and the blush that flitted across her cheek,
the smile that played upon her lips, as he was announced, might well
have flattered one even of less vanity.

The very next day, before Henry had had time to improve these symptoms
in her favor, on returning home, at five o'clock, to his dinner, he
found a stranger in the parlor with his mother. The gentleman arose on
his entrance, and he had scarcely time to glance at the tall, manly
form, the lofty air, the commanding brow, ere he found himself clasped
in his arms, with the exclamation, "Dear Henry! how rejoiced I am to see
you again."

In George Manning the physical and intellectual man had been developed
in rare harmony. He was taller and larger every way than his brother
Henry, and the self-reliance which the latter had laboriously att