"I shall remain in Europe until Miss Arguello is settled--I mean," he added hurriedly, "until she has--ahem!--completed her education in foreign ways and customs.

You see, Hathaway, I have constituted myself, after a certain fashion, I may say--still, her guardian.

I am an old man, with neither kith nor kin myself, sir--I'm a little too old-fashioned for the boys over there"-- with a vague gesture towards the west, which, however, told Paul how near it still was to him.

"But then, among the old fogys here--blank it all!--it isn't noticed.

So I look after her, you see, or rather make myself responsible for her generally--although, of course, she has other friends and associates, you understand, more of her own age and tastes." "And I've no doubt she's perfectly satisfied," said Paul in a tone of conviction.
"Well, yes, sir, I presume so," said the colonel slowly; "but I've sometimes thought, Mr.Hathaway, that it would have been better if she'd have had a woman's care--the protection you understand, of an elderly woman of society.