nce. "Of course the
Reverend Mr. Lyle's introduction is a sufficient passport for any
gentleman to any lady's acquaintance."

Mr. Lyle bowed and said:

"Then I will bring him at eight o'clock this evening."

And, with another bow, he also left the party and hurried off to the
hotel.

That evening, at eight o'clock, the three young ladies were seated alone
together in the front drawing-room of their boarding-house. Their
elderly friends were not present.

Dr. Jones was dining at the college with Alden Lytton and his
fellow-graduates.

Mrs. Fanning, fatigued with the day's excitement, had retired to a
dressing-gown and sofa in her own room.

Mrs. Wheatfield was in consultation with her book concerning the next
day's bill of fare.

Thus the three beauties were left together, and very beautiful they
looked.

Emma Cavendish, the "radiant blonde, with the golden hair and sapphire
eyes and blooming complexion," was dressed in fine pure white tulle,
with light-blue ribbons.

Electra, the wild-eyed, black-haired, damask-cheeked brunette, was
dressed in a maize-colored silk, with black lace trimmings.

Laura Lytton, the stout, wholesome, brown-haired and brown-eyed lassie,
wore a blue _barege_ trimmed, like Electra's dress, with black lace.

The room was brilliant with gas-light, and they were waiting for their
friends and visitors.

Dr. Jones had promised to return, and bring Alden with him, by eight
o'clock at latest. And Mr. Lyle had promised to come and bring "the
Californian."

The clock struck eight and with dramatic punctuality the bell rang.

The next moment the little page of the establishment opened the
drawing-room door and announced:

"Mr. Lyle and a gemman."

CHAPTER XVIII.

AN INTRODUCTION.

The three young ladies looked up, to see Mr. Lyle enter the room,
accompanied by a tall, finely-formed, dark-complexioned man, with deep
dark eyes, and black hair and full black beard, both lightly streaked
with silver, which, together with a slight stoop, gave him the
appearance of being much older than he really was.

Mr. Lyle bowed to the young ladies, and then, taking his companion up to
Emma Cavendish, he said, with old-fashioned formality:

"Miss Cavendish, permit me to present to you my friend Mr. Brent, of San
Francisco."

"I am glad to see you, Mr. Brent," said the young lady, with a graceful
bend of her fair head.

But in an instant the Californian seemed to have lost his
self-