aroused him for an instant was forgotten nearly as suddenly as it came.
So that after looking bewilderedly at Philip Alston once or twice, he
now began to nod and doze.




III

"PHILIP ALSTON, GENTLEMAN"


Philip Alston still stood before the candle-stand. His gaze rested on
the girl's radiant face with wistful tenderness. It was plain that he
thought nothing of all these rich, rare gifts which he had given her,
save only as they gave her pleasure and might win from her another
loving look, another butterfly kiss on his cheek.

As he stood there that night in the great room of Cedar House, before
the firelight and under the beams of the swinging lamps, he scarcely
appeared to need the help of any gift in winning a woman's love. His was
a presence to hold the gaze. He was very tall and straight and slender,
yet most finely proportioned. The heavy hair, falling back from his
handsome face and tied in a queue, must once have been as black as
Ruth's own; surely, no paler shade could have become so silvery white.
His eyes, also, were as blue as hers, and none could have been bluer.
His skin was almost as fair and smooth as hers, his manner as gentle and
kind, his voice as soft and his smile as sweet. He was elegantly
dressed, as he always was, his fine long coat of forest green
broadcloth had a wide velvet collar and large gold buttons. His velvet