THE VERGE OF A QUARREL Brant's mind was a chaos of conflicting emotions, but a single abiding conviction never once left him--he retained implicit faith in her, and he purposed to fight this matter out with Hampton.

Even in that crucial hour, had any one ventured to suggest that he was in love with Naida, he would merely have laughed, serenely confident that nothing more than gentlemanly interest swayed his conduct.

It was true, he greatly admired the girl, recalled to memory her every movement, her slightest glance, her most insignificant word, while her marvellous eyes constantly haunted him, yet the dawn of love was not even faintly acknowledged.
Nevertheless, he manifested an unreasonable dislike for Hampton.

He had never before felt thus toward this person; indeed, he had possessed a strong man's natural admiration for the other's physical power and cool, determined courage.

He now sincerely feared Hampton's power over the innocent mind of the girl, imagining his influence to be much stronger than it really was, and he sought after some suitable means for overcoming it.