ambitious, or disposed to invest her heart so that it might bring
fortune and social eminence. Never by word or sign had she appeared to
chafe at her father's modest competency, but with tact and skill,
taught undoubtedly by army experience, she made their slender income
yield the essentials of comfort and refinement, and seemed quite
indifferent to non-essentials. Graham could never hope to possess
wealth, but he found in Miss St. John a woman who could impart to his
home the crowning grace of wealth--simple, unostentatious elegance.
His aunt had said that the young girl had already refused more than
one fortune, and the accompanying assurance that she would marry the
man she loved, whatever might be his circumstances, seemed verified by
his own observation. Therefore why might he not hope? Few men are so
modest as not to indulge the hope to which their heart prompts them.
Graham was slow to recognize the existence of this hope, and then he
watched its growth warily. Not for the world would he lose control of
himself, not for the world would he reveal it to any one, least of all
to his aunt or to her who had inspired it, unless he had some reason
to believe she would not disappoint it. He was prompted to
concealment, not only by his pride, which was great, but more by a
characteristic trait, an instinctive desire to hide his deeper
feelings, his inner personality from all others. He would not admit
that he had fallen in love. The very phrase was excessively
distasteful. To his friend Hilland he might have given his confidence,
and he would have accounted for himself in some such way as this:--

"I have found a child and a woman; a child in frankness and
joyousness, a woman in beauty, strength, mental maturity, and
unselfishness. She interested me from the first, and every day I know
better the reason why--because she _is_ interesting. My reason
has kept pace with my fancy and my deeper feeling, and impels me to