She welcomed Evan as her daughter's friend, walked half-way across the room to meet him on his introduction to her, and with the simple words, 'I have heard of you,' let him see that he stood upon his merits in her house.

The young man's spirit caught something of hers even in their first interview, and at once mounted to that level.

Unconsciously he felt that she took, and would take him, for what he was, and he rose to his worth in the society she presided over.

A youth like Evan could not perceive, that in loving this lady's daughter, and accepting the place she offered him, he was guilty of a breach of confidence; or reflect, that her entire absence of suspicion imposed upon him a corresponding honesty toward her.

He fell into a blindness.