The first thing that impressed her was his unusual height, and
the next a certain awkwardness and angularity. When he came to
be formally presented, his diffidence and lack of ease were quite
marked. Bel greeted him with a distant inclination of her head,
De Forrest also vouchsafed merely one of his slightest bows, while
Harcourt stood so far away that he was scarcely introduced at
all; but Lottie went demurely forward and put her warm hand in his
great cold one, and said, looking up shyly, "I think we are sort
of cousins, are we not?"

He blushed to the roots of his hair and stammered that he hoped
so.

Indeed, this exquisite vision appearing from the shadows of the
hall, and claiming kinship, might have disconcerted a polished
society man; and the conspirators retired into the gloom to hide
their merriment.

As the stranger, in his bashful confusion, did not seem to know
for the moment what to do with her hand, and was inclined to keep
it, for in fact it was warming, or, rather, electrifying him, she
withdrew it, exclaiming, "How cold you are! You must come with me
to the fire at once."

He followed her with a rather bewildered expression, but his large
gray eyes were full of gratitude for her supposed kindness, even
if his unready tongue was slow in making graceful acknowledgment.

"Supper will be ready in a few moments, Frank," said his aunt,