stride, swinging his arms almost at right angles with his body. His
air you could only describe by the word 'howling'; and he was just
the man to immediately catch the attention of a vulgar girl. His hair
was as dark as a crow's; and it was as coarse as the bristles of a
hog. He was short and rather stout of build; was somewhat 'horsey' in
makeup; and had a face rather handsome. But that he was low-bred,
there could not be the shadow of a doubt.

'I thought you had eluded me, Aster,' he said in the most familiar
way; 'thought you had stolen away up the river with that book.'

'Oh, indeed. I have been reading here during the greater part of the
afternoon. Mr. Gray, let me introduce to you Mr. Ham; Mr. Ham, Mr.
Gray.' Roland bowed with much politeness; but Ham's stiff, pompous
bend was an assertion of superiority.

'I have probably broken in upon your _tete-a-tete_ with this
young man, Aster; so I'll take a turn out and have a jaw with your
guv'nor.' In a moment he was gone.

'This is your next door neighbour, I presume, Miss Aster?'

'Yes; he and papa are great friends. He consults papa upon nearly
everything that he does upon his farm; and papa in turn consults him
concerning our affairs.'

'I suspected as much. I presume that you and he are very intimate
friends. I observe that he calls you "Aster."'

'I did not ask him to do so; and since he chooses to adopt this