CHAPTER IIL
" One thing pride has, ■which no other rice that I know of has; it Is at
enemy to itself."
" Love's likeness there endures upon all these;
But out o£ these one shall not gather love."
" This is my eldest daughter unmarried," says Sir Hugh
wdth evident pride, taking Imogen's hand and presenting
her to his old friend, who has been gazing at her with
honest open admhation ever since her entrance.
" Ay, indeed ! " says old Brown with open interest. He
beams upon Imogen, and advancing towards her, takes both
her unwilling hands in a warm clasp. " Your eldest ? " he
questions thoughtfully. " Well, she is the bonniest lass I
have seen for many a day."
He makes this unstudied remark out loud, for the benefit
of everyone in the room. It amuses Patricia so much that
she forgets her mannei-s, and laughs out loud, sweetly and
cheerily, to her mother's intense horror and old Brown's
intense delight. He turns instantly to her.
" You like to hear your sister admired ? " he says.
" Always, when the admiration is as sincere as yours ! Be¬
cause I, too, think her the ' bonniest lass ' in all the world 1"
" Eight! right! " says the old fellow approvingly.
Imogen has drawn her hands from his, very slowly, but
with decision, and has turned away. Still his eyes follow
her with a certain keenness in their expression, that, in
spite of all his bonhomie and apparent simplicity, one finds it
hard to understand. Then once again he gives his undivided
attention to the younger girl, as though forgetful of the
other's existence.
As for Miss Heriot, when Mr. Brown had called her a
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