She was to him the very type of everything aristocratic.

It might be, as she had told him, that she chose to work for her living, but he knew as though by inspiration that her people and connections were of that world to which he could never belong, save on sufferance.

He meant to belong to it, for her sake--to win her! He admitted the presumption, but then it would be presumption of any man to lift his eyes to her.

He estimated his chances with common sense; he was not a man disposed to undervalue himself.

He knew the power of his wealth and his advantage over the crowd of young men who were her equals by birth.