again presented herself.

"Another gentleman has called," and she handed another card. Jessie
took it and read LEON DEXTER!

Could anything have been more inopportune! Jessie felt a double
embarrassment.

"The fates are against me I believe!" she murmured, as, after a few
moments of vigorous expression of feeling, she left her room, and
descended to the parlor, entering with a light but firm tread.
Dexter stepped quickly forward, giving his hand in the most assured
style, and putting both her and himself entirely at ease. She smiled
upon him blandly, because she felt the contagion of his manner.
Hendrickson was more formal and distant, and showed some
embarrassment. He was not at ease himself, and failed to put Jessie
at ease.

After all were seated, Dexter talked freely, while Hendrickson sat,
for the most part silent, but, as Jessie felt, closely observant.
Light and playful were the subjects introduced by Mr. Dexter, and
his remarks caused a perpetual ripple of smiles to sparkle over the
countenance of Miss Loring. But whenever Mr. Hendrickson spoke to
her, the smiles faded, and she turned upon him a face so changed in
expression that he felt a chill pervade his feelings. She did not
mean to look grave; she did not repress the smiles purposely; there
was neither coldness nor repulsion in her heart. But her sentiments
touching Mr. Hendrickson were so different from those entertained
for Mr. Dexter; and her estimation of his character so widely
variant that she could not possibly treat him with the smiling