"Aw, indeed, very likely; quite so," continued Rutley, handing the glass to Constance, and then turning to Virginia with an alluring smile, added: "And then, the ladies--are so bewitchingly entertaining." "Presumably your idea of American girls has suggested the art of flattery." "No, no!" he replied. "It's no flattery, I assure you." Just then Hazel and Mr. Corway approached the group standing on the piazza. Virginia saw them, and with an affected sigh, she turned to John Thorpe, who was standing at the head of the piazza steps, and who also was looking at the approaching couple, and taking him aside, said in a low voice: "John, has it occurred to you that Corway is a handsome man?" "He certainly is good looking and well proportioned, too," replied Thorpe, with a quizzical stare at his sister, and his stare developed a smile, as he added, pleasantly: "But why?--are you, too, becoming enamored of this handsome man?" With downcast eyes, and sudden flushed cheeks, that betrayed the shame she felt at the part she had elected to assume, her answer was given in a low, serious voice: "I have reason to warn you as my cousin's guardian, that his intentions are not of the best." Thorpe felt a strange gripping sensation creep into his heart, and then he, too, looked serious, but his seriousness quickly passed, as he thoughtfully muttered: "No, no, 'tis impossible!" and then, in a more unperturbed manner, said slowly: "His reputation for honor and rectitude is above reproach." Though his muttering was scarcely audible, Virginia heard him. "Are you sure?" she replied, in a voice equally subdued, and with a flash of anger in her meaning glance. "You may find that he will bear watching. And you also may find that his attention to Hazel is an insult to our family honor." The possibility of Hazel, his guileless orphan niece, of whom he was so proud, could be the victim of a base deception, had never entered his mind, and so it happened that the first shadow that had darkened the serenity of his trust, was, strangely enough, projected by his sister. As his eyes again fell upon Hazel's sweet, sensible face, then lifted to the manly, honest countenance of her companion, he at once banished the fear from his mind, and impatiently exclaimed: "Oh, this is nonsense!" Then he turned on his heel, hesitated, and again turned, and looked furtively at Corway, muttering: "Yet I cannot banish the thought. I wonder what causes Virginia--no, I have never suspected him of vice." Then he slowly disappeared through the vestibule. As Corway and Hazel approached the steps, Virginia seemed to stiffen and slightly shudder. She felt like ice, and disdained the slightest recognition which he made to her. She turned away with a look of ineffable contempt, and moved slowly over to Rutley and Constance. Corway instinctively felt that she had been a witness to his scene with Hazel, but he affected unconcern, and allowed the incident to pass without comment.