daughters.

"I am going to introduce you to everybody," continued the old lady, "for
this is to be a family gathering, and we must all know each other. I
know I may not be acting according to the present usages of society, but
that does not trouble me a little bit."

Accordingly, with the utmost good taste, she introduced me to a number
of the people who had been invited.

I need make no special mention of most of them. Some of the young ladies
simpered, others were frank, some were fairly good looking, while others
were otherwise, and that is about all that could be said. None had
sufficient individuality to make a distinct impression upon me. The
young men were about on a par with the young ladies. Some lisped and
were affected, some were natural and manly; and I began to think that,
as far as the people were concerned, the Christmas gathering would be a
somewhat tame affair.

This thought had scarcely entered my mind when two men entered the room,
who were certainly not of the ordinary type, and will need a few words
of description; for both were destined, as my story will show, to have
considerable influence over my life.

I will try to describe the more striking of the two first.

He was a young man. Not more than thirty-five. He was fairly tall, well
built, and had evidently enjoyed the education and advantages of a man
of wealth. His hair was black as the raven's wings, and was brushed in a
heavy mass horizontally across his forehead. His eyes were of a colour