Wardour did not go very far before he
began to slacken his pace; a moment or two more and he suddenly
wheeled round, and began to walk back toward Thornwick. Two
things had combined to produce this change of purpose--the first,
the state of his boots, which, beginning to dry in the sun and
wind as he walked, grew more and more hideous at the end of his
new gray trousers; the other, the occurring suspicion that the
girl must be Letty's new shopkeeping friend, Miss Marston, on her
way to visit her. What a sweet, simple young woman she was! he
thought; and straightway began to argue with himself that, as his
boots were in such evil plight, it would be more pleasant to
spend the evening with Letty and her friend, than to hold on his
way to his own friend's, and spend the evening smoking and
lounging about the stable, or hearing his sister play polkas and
mazurkas all the still Sunday twilight.
Mary had, of course, upon her arrival, narrated her small
adventure, and the conversation had again turned upon Godfrey
just as he was nearing the house.
"How handsome your cousin is!" said Mary, with the simplicity
natural to her.
"Do you think so?" returned Letty.
"Don't _you_ think so?" rejoined Mary.
"I have never thought about it," answered Letty.
"He looks so manly, and has such a straightforward way with him!"
said Mary.
"What one sees every day, she may feel in a sort of take-for-
granted way, without thinking about it," said Letty.
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