ut things before him in their true light." And when Mr.
Dare descended to the Vandon vault, all Mr. Alwynn's interest, and
consequently a good deal of Ruth's, had centred in the new heir, who was
so difficult to find, and who ultimately turned up from the other end of
nowhere just when people were beginning to despair of his ever turning
up at all.

And now that he had come, would he make the crooked straight? Would the
new broom sweep clean? Ruth recalled the new broom's brown handsome
face, with the eager eyes and raised eyebrows, and involuntarily shook
her head. It is difficult to be an impartial judge of any one with a
feeling for music and a pathetic tenor voice; but the face she had
called to mind did not inspire her with confidence. It was kindly,
amiable, pleasant; but was it strong? In other words, was it not a
trifle weak?

She found herself comparing it with another, a thin, reserved face, with
keen light eyes and a firm mouth; a mouth with a cigar in it at that
moment on the lawn. The comparison, however, did not help her
meditations much, being decidedly prejudicial to the "new broom;" and
the faint chime of the clock on the dressing-table breaking in on them
at the same moment, she dismissed them for the night, and proceeded to
busy herself putting to bed her various little articles of jewellery
before betaking herself there also.

* * * * *

Any doubts entertained by Evelyn about Dare's religious views were
completely set at rest the following morning, which happened to be a
Sunday. He appeared at breakfast in a black frock-coat, the splendor of
which quite threw Ralph's ancient Sunday garment into the shade. He wore
also a chastened, decorous aspect, which seemed unfamiliar to his mobile
face, and rather ill suited to it. After breakfast, he inquired when
service would be, and expressed a wish to attend it. He brought down a
high hat and an enormous prayer-book, and figured with them in the
garden.

"Who is going to Greenacre, and who is going to Slumberleigh?" called
out Ralph, from the smoking-room window. "Because, if any of you are
going to foot it to Slumberleigh, you had better be starting. Which are
you going to, Charles?"

"I am going where Molly goes. Which is it to be, Molly?"

"Slumberleigh," said Molly, with decision, "because it's the shortest
sermon, and I want to see the little foal in Brown's field."

"Slumberleigh be it," said Charles. "Now, Miss