to admire. His
refined, magnetic enthusiasm is contagious, and at times most
fascinating. His delicately guarded, subtle compliments, yet earnest,
sincere speech, interest me greatly." It was but natural that the
tender, wistful courtesies and considerate deference of this masterful
suitor should be pleasing to Esther's womanly spirit. This
high-principled girl, strong for self-sacrifice upon the altar of duty,
was intensely human. Oswald felt this charm, and readily yielded to its
power.

As Esther became sensitive of her interest in Oswald's future, she
became more conscientiously determined upon absolute dedication of self
to higher purposes than earthly pleasures.

Being perplexed at the strange girl's conduct, Oswald concluded to learn
its cause. His waking hours, while alone, were spent in framing all
sorts of delicately worded questions and comments about subjects which
he thought of interest to Esther, calculated to draw out this hidden
secret.

Unconscious of his craft, Esther's responses were void of light as
Egyptian sphinx.

Oswald became wildly curious as to this mystery. It occurred to him that
there might have been a case of early infatuation.

To his skillfully framed, delicately propounded questions about her past
life, Esther answered frankly, with happy enthusiasm, giving each glad
reminiscence.

Perhaps her aristocratic father had confided to Esther cherished plans
concerning proper social alliances, and this loyal daughter yielded to
the parental will.

Oswald's tactful delving unearthed no coercive "find" of restraining or
constraining parental influence designedly swaying Esther's choice
toward any fixed social status.

It was apparent that this girl felt toward her father a loving sense of
filial reverence. That Esther would defer to Sir Donald's unexpressed or
spoken will, Oswald doubted not.

There seemed to be such habitual interchange of parental and filial
regard, so much of loving care and trusting dependence between this
father and child, that Oswald knew in any emergency these would be far
more autocratic in power of high constraint than any dogmatic assertions
of authority or sentimental excesses.

Does she divine his purposes and evade the issue? Are any peculiar
English property entailments obstacles to his suit? Is this hateful
barrier some high family scheme of marital intrigue or establishment?
These and other less probable possible causes are canvassed by Oswald
with