Just then Jones turned quickly, and, with the delighted look of a discoverer, snapped his head, first at his girl and then at me. “You saw it?” His girl nodded assent. Jones looked at me inquiringly. “What was it?” I whispered. “He squeezed her hand with his arm,—most positively—didn’t he?” Jones’s girl looked assent. “Hard?” She nodded again,—laughter-tears bedimming her young eyes. “The villain!” breathed Billy; and throwing back his head, he showed two rows of magnificent teeth, while his mouth, though emitting no sound, went through all the movements of Homeric laughter. “Will,” said she, turning towards him,—“Will,” said she, softly, as she raised her eyes admiringly to his frank and manly face, “you are the greatest goose in the world.” “And you the dearest duck on earth.” So, at least, they seemed to me to say; but perhaps—for I admit that they spoke in whispers—perhaps I say this less as a hearer than as a Seer. CHAPTER XL. “Where is Mr. Smith?” asked Mrs. Carter, as she helped the company to soup. “Yes, where is he?” repeated Mr. Whacker, looking up in surprise. “Perhaps he does not know that we are at dinner.” “After conducting me to the parlor,” explained Mrs. Poythress, “he excused himself and went to his room. I fancied he was not very well.” “Indeed!” said Mr. Whacker. “Zip, you go—” Charley made a motion to Moses,—Zip for short,—and rising from the table and bowing his excuses, he left the room. “I am a little afraid,” continued Mrs. Poythress, turning to me, who chanced to be her nearest neighbor at table, “that your friend over-strained himself in that tremendous leap he made to save me from falling. I am sure I felt his arm tremble as we walked towards the house. Then he was so very silent. Is he always so?” “Generally; though I do not think it is altogether natural to him. He seems to constrain himself to silence from some motive or other; but every now and then he loses control of himself, it would seem, and breaks forth into a real torrent of brilliant talk,—no, brilliant is not the word—though torrent is. When he bursts forth in this impassioned way, he carries everything before him. By the way, his leaping is of the same character. Do you know I had to change my shoes? For when he sprang to catch you, he actually knocked me into the water.” “What eyes he has! Such a concentrated look! And no one,” she added after a pause, “has any idea who he is?” “Not the slightest.” “Is it possible? What a number of strange people your dear old grandfather has contrived to bring to Elmington from time to time! Where he has found them all, or how they have found him, has always been a mystery to me.” “Yes, but the Don is not one of grandfather’s captures. Charley must have the credit of bringing him in.” “Then he is a good man,” replied she, with decision. “Charley never makes any mistakes. But here comes Master Charles.”