Like most men who are admired by women, he was not much liked by men.
But the house to which he came the oftenest was Slumberleigh Rectory.

He was faithful to his early admiration of Ruth; and the only obstacle to his making her (in his opinion) happy among women, namely, her possible want of fortune, had long since been removed by the confidential remarks of Mrs.Alwynn.To his foreign habits and ideas fourteen or fifteen hundred a year represented a very large sum.

In his eyes Ruth was an heiress, and in all good earnest he set himself to win her.

Mr.Alwynn had now become the proper person to consult regarding his property; and at first, to Ruth's undisguised satisfaction, he consulted him nearly every other day, his horse at last taking the turn for Slumberleigh as a matter of course.

Many a time, in these August days, might Mrs.Eccles and all the other inhabitants of Slumberleigh have seen Dare ride up the little street, taking as much active exercise as his horse, only skyward; the saddle being to him merely a point of rebound.
But if the object of his frequent visits was misunderstood by Ruth at first, Dare did not allow it to remain so long.