was war. Waldo had come back with the determination that
while there was life there should be hope. He had until this time
regarded Bulchester's marked attentions with the amusement that the
nobleman's unattractive exterior was likely to meet with in a rival.
Added to that was Waldo's conceit, which made him look through the large
end of the telescope in viewing others. But now he had heard Katie's
dallying--why hadn't she finished the fellow up quickly?--he had read
the determination in Bulchester's face, and had remembered his title.
Katie, meanwhile, with admirable unconsciousness, talked, now with one,
now with the other, giving most attention to Waldo, and yet making
Bulchester feel that if she had been assigned to him at dinner the
greater share would without effort from her have been his.

The dinner went on. Sir Temple Dacre's comments were so kind that they
could not be offensive. Most of them were made to Elizabeth. He admired
Madam Archdale, and thought that her son resembled her; he thought that
Colonel Pepperell had the air of a leader of men. "One born so," he
said. "He seems always to know what he means, that's it, and he doesn't
always tell you. On the whole, perhaps, the last is as great a point,
because men don't take ideas readily; they never half look at them; they
have too many crotchets of their own; or if not that, too much
thick-headedness. The only way to do is to send out the result of one's
conclusions in the form of an order, and say nothing about how it was
come at."

"You are speaking only of military matters?" she asked.

"Well, no, of things in general."

"Then it wouldn't do in our part of the Colonies," she said. "I once
heard of a little boy who was called 'Whatfor Winship' because he was
perpetually asking the reasons of things. That is like us. We think a
great deal of an aristocracy, provided we can all be aristocrats.
Everybody is sure that he can decide any matter that comes up, and then
from a sense of fairness we put it to vote. That's the way we manage
here."

"Yes," answered Sir Temple, "we across the water know that you people
are deuced fond of managing--Beg pardon.--But let me tell you what
Walpole, our former minister, said one day when I dined with him. 'Going
to America, I understand?' he asked. I said I was. 'Well, I hope over
there they'll let you travel in the way it pleases you, it's more than
they did to our orders; there is such an ado if those people are not