Unfortunately, far from exhibiting any concern
in the matter, she seemed to be preoccupied with Milly, and only
the charming back of her head was visible behind Mrs. Woods. He
accepted, however, with a hesitation that took some of the
graciousness from his yielding, and a sense that he was giving a
strange importance to a trivial circumstance.
The necessity of attaching himself to his hostess, and making a
more extended tour of the grounds, for a while diverted him from an
uneasy consideration of his past interview. Mrs. Woods had known
Yerba through the school friendship of Milly, and, as far as the
religious rules of the convent would allow, had always been
delighted to show her any hospitality. She was a beautiful girl--
did not Mr. Hathaway think so?--and a girl of great character. It
was a pity, of course, that she had never known a mother's care,
and that the present routine of a boarding-school had usurped the
tender influences of home. She believed, too, that the singular
rotation of guardianship had left the girl practically without a
counseling friend to rely upon, except, perhaps, Colonel Pendleton;
and while she, Mrs. Woods, did not for a moment doubt that the
colonel might be a good friend and a pleasant companion of MEN,
really he, Mr.
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