hearth, at all that I had forgotten in the little library. As I turned, another door opened - the door made invisible by the multitude of books around and upon it - and young Squire Rattray stood between my love and me.

His clear, smooth skin was almost as pale as Eva’s own, but pale brown, the tint of rich ivory. His eyes were preternaturally bright. And they never glanced my way, but flew straight to Eva, and rested on her very humbly and sadly, as her two hands gripped the arms of the chair, and she leant forward in horror and alarm.


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glass. Even had it been otherwise, I must have taken my chance or shown him all; as it was, when he had pulled down my blind, and shaken my pillow, and he gave me his hand once more, I took it with involuntary cordiality. I only grieved that so fine a young fellow should have involved himself in so


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