them, and restrained John long enough for his paroxysm of passion to subside: indeed, a struggle would probably have ended in his getting another stroke of the heart, which very likely would have been fatal.
When I had induced him to sit down, I said to Henry, who was composedly smoking a cigar, "If you have anything to say, I wish you'd say it."
"Why, Jack," he said at once, with perfect geniality, "I wouldn't have annoyed you for the world. I had no idea that you were seriously interested in our cousin. If you are, I shall be the first to wish you both happiness. I took a cousinly privilege with Sinfire in the wood to-day,"—John winced,—"but there are men and men, you know: one has his way, and another has his. A kiss, with me, means friendly good will, and that is all. I'm sure she considered it nothing more; but, if you like, I will ask her pardon for it in your presence."
If poor stupid John had known what I know, he might not have taken this apology in such good part as he did. But by this time he had caught his breath, and the congestion of blood on his brain had subsided. After some consideration, he said, with really touching simplicity, that he would probably have been less angry if he had had better hope of getting Sinfire to listen to his proposals, but that he had about made up his mind that she would never care for him, and when, in the midst of his bitter disappointment, he had seen Henry taking a liberty which he had never dared to take, rage got the better of him. "I asked you the other day, Frank," he added, turning to me, "to find out for me what she felt; but, as you never said anything to me about it, I supposed it was because there wasn't anything good to say.—I'm sorry I acted like a brute, Harry," he concluded, stretching out his hand, "and I hope you'll forget it and forgive me."
This finished the episode, to all appearances; and the two brothers presently went off together amicably to the stables, to smoke a pipe with Tom the groom. There are men and men, indeed! Neither of these men is like me. What was the meaning of that kiss in the wood?
This was in the afternoon. At seven o'clock I went in to dinner. I was a few minutes late (under mother's beneficent household dispensation punctuality is one of our conspicuous virtues as a family), but, as I ascended the steps of the veranda, Sinfire came out of the door, as if she had been waiting there to meet me. She was all in white, and pale, with her hair like a thick black shadow; her eyes, dark sapphires, scrutinized mine searchingly, as I stood before her. With a sudden movement, she caught both my hands in hers, and gripped them hard. I could hear the white edges of her teeth grit together as she leaned towards me and whispered,—
