present, and who felt just like teasing his sister, replied, "What do
you care? Mrs. Graham has no daughters, and she won't fancy such a
chit as you, so it must be Durward's society that you so much desire,
bit I can assure you that your nose will be broken when once he sees
our 'Lena."

Carrie turned toward the window to hide her wrath at this speech,
while Durward asked if "Miss Rivers were so very handsome?"

"_Handsome_!" repeated John. "That don't begin to express it. _Cad_
is what I call _handsome_, but 'Lena is beautiful, more beautiful,
most beautiful--now you have it superlatively. Such complexion--such
eyes--such hair--I'll be hanged if I haven't been more than half in
love with her myself."

"I really begin to tremble," said Durward, laughingly while Carrie
rejoined, "You've only to make the slightest advance, and your love
will be returned ten-fold, for 'Lena is very susceptible, and already
encourages several admirers."

"There, my fair sister, you are slightly mistaken," interrupted John
Jr., who was going on farther in his remarks, when Durward asked if
"she ever left any _marks_ of her affection," referring to the
scratch she had given Carrie; who, before her brother had time to
speak, replied that "the _will_ and the _claws_ remained the same,
though common decency kept them hidden when it was necessary."

"That's downright slander," said John Jr., determined now upon
defending his cousin, "'Lena has a high temper, I acknowledge, but
she tries hard to govern it, and for nearly two years I've not seen