As Clement was already "done for," or "bowled out," as the young lawyer would have expressed the fact of his being pledged in the matrimonial direction, there was nothing to be apprehended on the score of rivalry.

And although Clement was particularly good-looking, and would have been called a distinguishable youth anywhere, Mr.
Bradshaw considered himself far more than his match, in all probability, in social accomplishments.

He expected, therefore, a certain amount of reflex credit for bringing such a fine young fellow in his company, and a second instalment of reputation from outshining him in conversation.
This was rather nice calculating, but Murray Bradshaw always calculated.
With most men life is like backgammon, half skill, and half luck, but with him it was like chess.

He never pushed a pawn without reckoning the cost, and when his mind was least busy it was sure to be half a dozen moves ahead of the game as it was standing.
Mr.Bradshaw gave Clement a pretty dinner enough for such a place as Oxbow Village.

He offered him some good wine, and would have made him talk so as to show his lining, to use one of his own expressions, but Clement had apparently been through that trifling experience, and could not be coaxed into saying more than he meant to say.