And if, with a woman's quickness, Mrs.Peyton detected a certain lingering glance which passed between Mary Rogers and Clarence, and misinterpreted it, it was only a part of that mystification into which these youthful actors are apt to throw their mature audiences.
"Confess, Ally," said Peyton, cheerfully, as the three young people suddenly found their tongues with aimless vivacity and inconsequent laughter, and started with unintelligible spirits for an exploration of the garden, "confess now that your bete noir is really a very manly as well as a very presentable young fellow.

By Jove! the padres have made a Spanish swell out of him without spoiling the Brant grit, either! Come, now; you're not afraid that Susy's style will suffer from HIS companionship.

'Pon my soul, she might borrow a little of his courtesy to his elders without indelicacy.

I only wish she had as sincere a way of showing her respect for you as he has.

Did you notice that he really didn't seem to see anybody else but you at first?
And yet you never were a friend to him, like Susy." The lady tossed her head slightly, but smiled.
"This is the first time he's seen Mary Rogers, isn't it ?" she said meditatively.
"I reckon.