And what did Will Belton think about his cousin, insured as he was thus supposed to be against the dangers of love?  He, also, lay awake for awhile that night, thinking over his new friendship.  Or rather he thought of it walking about his room, and looking out at the bright harvest moon for with him to be in bed was to be asleep.  He sat himself down, and he walked about, and he leaned out of the window into the cool night air; and he made some comparisons in his mind, and certain calculations; and he thought of his present home, and of his sister, and of his future prospects as they were concerned with the old place at which he was now staying; and he portrayed to himself, in his mind, Clara’s head and face and figure and feet and he resolved that she should be his wife.  He had never seen a girl who seemed to suit him so well.  Though he had only been with her for a day, he swore to himself that he knew he could love her.  Nay he swore to himself that he did love her.  Then when he had quite made up his mind, he tumbled into his bed and was asleep in five minutes.

Miss Amedroz was a handsome young woman, tall, well-made, active, and full of health.  She carried herself as though she thought her limbs were made for use, and not simply for ease upon a sofa.  Her head and neck stood well upon her shoulders, and her waist showed none of those waspish proportions of which ladies used to be more proud than I believe them to be now, in their more advanced state of knowledge and taste.  There was much about her in which she was like her cousin, as though the blood they had in common between them had given to both the same proportions and the same comeliness.  Her hair was of a dark brown colour, as was his.  Her eyes were somewhat darker than his, and perhaps not so full of constant movement; but they were equally bright, and possessed that quick power of expressing tenderness which belonged to them.  Her nose was more finely cut, as was also her chin, and the oval of her face; but she had the same large expressive mouth, and the same perfection of ivory-white teeth.  As has been said before, Clara Amedroz, who was now nearly twenty-six years of age, was not a young-looking woman.  To the eyes of many men that would have been her fault; but in the eyes of Belton it was no fault.  He had not made himself fastidious as to women by much consort with them, and he was disposed to think that she who was to become his wife had better be something more than a girl not long since taken out of the nursery.  He was well-to-do in the world, and could send his wife out in her carriage, with all becoming bravery of appurtenances.  And he would do so, too, when he should have a wife.  But still he would look to his wife to be a useful partner to him.  She should be a woman not above agricultural solicitude, or too proud to have a care for her cows.  Clara, he was sure, had no false pride; and yet as he was sure also she was at every point such a lady as would