e,
and who had made up his mind to bear it for a time. His faculties seemed
walled up in him, and were unmurmuring in their captivity. He never
laughed; he seldom smiled; he was uncomplaining. He fulfilled the round
of his duties scrupulously. His pupil loved him; he asked nothing more
than civility from the rest of the world. It even appeared that he would
accept nothing more--in that abode at least; for when his cousin
Caroline made gentle overtures of friendship, he did not encourage
them--he rather avoided than sought her. One living thing alone, besides
his pale, crippled scholar, he fondled in the house, and that was the
ruffianly Tartar, who, sullen and impracticable to others, acquired a
singular partiality for him--a partiality so marked that sometimes, when
Moore, summoned to a meal, entered the room and sat down unwelcomed,
Tartar would rise from his lair at Shirley's feet and betake himself to
the taciturn tutor. Once--but once--she noticed the desertion, and
holding out her white hand, and speaking softly, tried to coax him back.
Tartar looked, slavered, and sighed, as his manner was, but yet
disregarded the invitation, and coolly settled himself on his haunches
at Louis Moore's side. That gentleman drew the dog's big, black-muzzled
head on to his knee, patted him, and smiled one little smile to himself.

An acute observer might have remarked, in the course of the same
evening, that after Tartar had resumed his allegiance to Shirley, and
was once more couched near her footstool, the audacious tutor by one
word and gesture fascinated him again. He pricked up his ears at the
word; he started erect at the gesture, and came, with head lovingly
depressed, to receive the expected caress. As it was given, the
significant smile again rippled across Moore's quiet face.

* * * * *

"Shirley," said Caroline one day, as they two were sitting alone in the
summer-house, "did you know that my cousin Louis was tutor in your
uncle's family before the Sympsons came down here?"

Shirley's reply was not so prompt as her responses usually were, but at
last she answered, "Yes--of course; I knew it well."

"I thought you must have been aware of the circumstance."

"Well! what then?"

"It puzzles me to guess how it chanced that you never mentioned it to
me."

"Why should it puzzle you?"

"It seems odd. I cannot account for it. You talk a great deal--you talk
freely. How was that circumstan