He certainly did seem young there in the firelight, his narrow, thoroughbred head turned toward the fire. Youth, too, sat lightly on his shoulders; and it was scarcely a noticeably mature hand that touched the short sun-burnt moustache at intervals. From head to waist, from his loosely coupled, well-made limbs to his strong, slim foot, strength seemed to be the keynote to a physical harmony most agreeable to look at. The idea entered her head that he might appear to advantage on horseback. "We must ride together," she said, returning her teacup to the tray; "if you don't mind riding with me? Do you? Gerald never has time, so I go with a groom. But if you would care to go--" she laughed. "Oh, you see I am already beginning a selfish family claim on you. I foresee that you'll be very busy with us all persistently tugging at your coat-sleeves; and what with being civil to me and a martyr to Drina, you'll have very little time to yourself. And--I hope you'll like my brother Gerald when you meet him. Now I _must_ go." Then, rising and partly turning to collect her furs: "It's quite exciting to have you here. We will be good friends, won't we? . . . and I think I had better stop my chatter and go, because my cunning little Alsatian maid is not very clever yet. . . . Good-bye." She stretched out one of her amazingly white hands across the table, giving him a friendly leave-taking and welcome all in one frank handshake; and left him standing there, the fresh contact still cool in his palm. Nina came in presently to find him seated before the fire, one hand shading his eyes; and, as he prepared to rise, she rested both arms on his shoulders, forcing him into his chair again. "So you've bewitched Eileen, too, have you?" she said tenderly. "Isn't she the sweetest little thing?" "She's--ah--as tall as I am," he said, blinking at the fire. "She's only nineteen; pathetically unspoiled--a perfect dear. Men are going to rave over her and--_not_ spoil her. Did you ever see such hair?--that thick, ruddy, lustrous, copper tint?--and sometimes it's like gold afire. And a skin like snow and peaches!--she's sound to the core. I've had her exercised and groomed and hardened and trained from the very beginning--every inch of her minutely cared for exactly like my own babies. I've done my best," she concluded with a satisfied sigh, and dropped into a chair beside her brother. "Thoroughbred," commented Selwyn, "to be turned out to-night. Is she bridle-wise and intelligent?"