It could
hardly be the latter, for she was always friendly and hospitable, and
took his courtesies in such an unsuspecting and grateful way. There
was something so self-reliant about her and so independent of any
one's protection, that this was the most discouraging thing of all,
for his own instinct was that of standing between her and all
harm,--of making himself responsible for her shelter and happiness.
She seemed to get on capitally well without him, but after all he
could not help being conqueror in so just and inevitable a war. The
old proverb suddenly changed from a pebble to a diamond, and he
thanked the philosopher more than once who had first reminded the
world that faint heart ne'er won fair lady; presently he grew sad, as
lovers will, and became paler and less vigorous, and made his friends
wonder a good deal, until they at last suspected his sweet sorrow, and
ranged themselves in eager ranks upon his side, with all history and
tradition in their favor.
Nan herself was not among the first to suspect that one of her new
friends had proved to be a lover; she had been turned away from such
suspicions by her very nature; and when she had been forced to believe
in one or two other instances that she was unwillingly drawing to
herself the devotion which most women unconsciously seek, she had been
made most uncomfortable, and had repelled all possibility of its
further progress. She had believed herself proof against such
assailment, and so indeed she had been; but on the very evening of her
battle for her opinions at Mrs.
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