tell you, boys, there was a mighty deal of difference in the way
he conducted himself toward her in the beginning of the evening
and the last. You wouldn't have thought him the same man. Reckless
young fellows like him are not to be caught by dimples only. They
want cash."

"Or family, at least; and she hasn't either. But what a pretty
girl she is! Many a fellow as rich as he and as well connected
would be satisfied with her good looks alone."

"Good looks!" High scorn was observable in this exclamation, which
was made by the young man whom I have before characterised as
ungainly. "I refuse to acknowledge that she has any good looks. On
the contrary, I consider her plain."

"Oh! Oh!" burst in protest from more than one mouth. "And why does
she have every fellow in the room dangling after her, then?" asked
the player on the flageolet.

"She hasn't a regular feature."

"What difference does that make when it isn't her features you
notice, but herself?"

"I don't like her."

A laugh followed this.

"That won't trouble her, Sweetwater. Sutherland does, if you
don't, and that's much more to the point. And he'll marry her yet;