He had his cap in one hand and a port-folio in the other.

The blood rushed from Hope's cheek to her heart; then rushed back again.

Abel saw it.
Rising from the lawn and bowing gravely, she turned toward the house.
"Miss Wayne," said Abel, in a voice which was very musical and very low--she stopped--"I hope you have not already convicted and sentenced me." He smiled a little as he spoke, not familiarly, not presumptuously, but with an air which indicated his entire ability to justify himself.
Hope said: "I have no wish to be unjust." "May I then plead my own cause ?" "I must go into the house--I will call my grandfather, whom I suppose you wish to see." "I am here by his permission, and I hope you will not regard me as an intruder." "Certainly not, if he knows you are here;" and Hope lingered to hear if he had any thing more to say.
"It was a very sudden affair.

We were both hot and angry; but he is smaller than I, and I should have done nothing had he not struck me, and fallen upon me so that I was obliged to defend myself." "Yes--to be sure--in that case," said Hope, still lingering, and remarking the music of his voice.

Abel continued--while the girl's eyes saw how well he looked upon that lawn--the clustering black hair--the rich eyes--the dark complexion--the light of intelligence playing upon his face--his dress careful but graceful--and the port-folio which showed this interview to be no design or expectation, but a mere chance-- "I am very sorry you should have had the pain of seeing such a spectacle, and I am ashamed my first introduction to you should have been at such a time." Hope Wayne lingered, looking on the ground.
"I think, indeed," continued Abel, "that you owe me an opportunity of making a better impression." "Hope! Hope!" came floating the sound of a distant voice calling in the garden.
Hope Wayne turned her head toward the voice, but her eyes looked upon the ground, and her feet still lingered.
"I have known you so long, and yet have never spoken to you," said the musical voice at her side; "I have seen you so constantly in church, and I have even tried sometimes--I confess it--to catch a glance from you as you came out.