A hundred yards farther on he halted, as if irresolutely, gazed doubtfully ahead of him, and then turned back.

An expression of innocent--almost childlike--concern was clouding the rascal's face.

It was well, as the two girls had drawn closely together, having been apparently surprised in the midst of a glowing eulogium of this glorious passing vision by its sudden return.
At his nearer approach, the one with the short upper lip hid that piquant feature and the rest of her rosy face behind the other's shoulder, which was suddenly and significantly opposed to the advance of this handsome intruder, with a certain dignity, half real, half affected, but wholly charming.

The protectress appeared--possibly from her defensive attitude--the superior of her companion.
Audacious as Jack was to his own sex, he had early learned that such rare but discomposing graces as he possessed required a certain apologetic attitude when presented to women, and that it was only a plain man who could be always complacently self-confident in their presence.

There was, consequently, a hesitating lowering of this hypocrite's brown eyelashes as he said, in almost pained accents,-- "Excuse me, but I fear I've taken the wrong road.