“A handsome face is no excuse for coquetry,” answered Durward; “neither can I think Miss Rivers guilty of it.  At all events, I mean to venture a little nearer,” and before Carrie could frame a reasonable excuse for keeping him at her side, he had crossed ever and taken a seat by ’Lena, with whom he was soon in the midst of an animated conversation, his surprise each moment increasing at the depth of intellect she displayed, for the beauty of her mind was equal to that of her person.  Had it not been for the remembrance of Carrie’s insinuations, his admiration would have been complete.  But anything like coquetry he heartily despised, and one great secret of his liking for Carrie, was her evident freedom from that fault.  As yet he had seen nothing to condemn in ’Lena’s conduct.  Wholly unaffected, she talked with him as she would have talked with any stranger, and still there was in her manner a certain coldness for which he could not account.

“Perhaps she thinks me not worth the winning,” thought he, and in spite of his principles, he erelong found himself exerting all his powers to please and interest her.

About tea-time, Captain Atherton rode into the yard, and simultaneously with his arrival, Mr. Everett came also.  Immediately remembering what he had heard, Durward, in his eagerness to watch ’Lena, failed to note the crimson flush on Anna’s usually pale cheek, as Malcolm bent over her with his low-spoken, tender words of welcome, and when the phthisicky captain, claiming the privilege of an old friend, kissed the blushing Anna, Durward in his blindness attributed the scornful expression of ’Lena’s face to a feeling of unwillingness that any save herself should share the attentions even of the captain!  And in this impression he was erelong confirmed.

Drawing his chair up to Anna, Captain Atherton managed to keep Malcolm at a distance, while he himself wholly monopolized the young girl, who cast imploring glances toward her cousin, as if asking for relief.  Many a time, on similar occasions, had ’Lena claimed the attention of the captain, for the sake of leaving Anna free to converse with Malcolm, and now understanding what was wanted of her, she nodded in token that she would come to the rescue.  Just then, Mrs. Livingstone, who had kept an eye upon her niece, drew near, and as she seemed to want a seat; ’Lena instantly arose and offered hers, going herself to the place where the captain was sitting.  Erelong, her lively sallies and the captain’s loud laugh began to attract Mrs. Livingstone’s attention, and observing that Durward’s eyes were frequently drawn that way, she thought proper to make some remarks concerning the impropriety of her niece’s conduct.

“I do wish,” said she, apparently speaking more to herself than to Durward, “I do wish ’Lena would learn discretion, and let Captain Atherton alone, when she knows how much her behavior annoys Mr. Everett.”

“Is Mr. Everett anything to her!” asked Durward, half hoping that she would not confirm what Carrie had before hinted.