She knew perfectly well that he considered himself very tolerant
towards much that was to be deprecated in her, but, far from resenting
his attitude, she shaw chiefly the humorous side, and managed to glean
a good deal of quiet amusement from it.

Considering the fifteen years' difference in their ages, and the fact
that Dudley was a hard-working architect in London, seeing life on all
sides, while Hal was still a hoydenish schoolgirl, it was really
remarkable how thoroughly she grasped and understood his character, and
a great deal concerning the world in general, while he seemed to remain
at his first decisions concerning her and most things.

It was just perhaps the difference between the book-student and the
life-student. Dudley had always had a passion for books and for his
profession. His clever brain was a well of knowledge concerning
ancient architectures and relics of antiquity. He studied them because
he loved them, and, before all things else, to him they seemed worth
while.

He loved his sister also - he loved her better than any one, but it
would never have occured to him that she should be studied, or that
there was anything in her to study. To him she was quite an ordinary
girl, rather nice-looking when she was neat, but with a most
unfortunate lack of the sedate dignity and discretion that he
considered essential to the typically admirable woman.

That there might be other traits in their place, equally admirable, did
not occur to him. They ware not at any rate the traits he most admired.

Hal, on the other hand, was different in every respect. She loated