"It is more Uncle Horace than mamma."
Virginia reddened. She knew her uncle's opinions, and she was not entirely
ignorant of the reputation borne by Captain Brice.
She feigned ignorance however, listened with apparent surprise to her
uncle's account of him and promised sweetly to treat him with the most
distant politeness in future.
Mr. Dinsmore saw through her, but what more could he do, except keep a
strict watch over both.
The captain, forsaken by Virginia, sauntered about the deck and presently
approaching an elderly lady who sat somewhat apart from the rest, lifted
his cap with a smiling "How do you do, Mrs. Noyes?" and taking an empty
chair by her side entered into a desultory conversation.
"By the by," he said, "what an attractive family group is that over
yonder," with a slight motion of the head in the direction of the
Travillas. "The mother is my beau-ideal of a lovely matron, in appearance
at least--I have not the happiness of her acquaintance--and the daughters
are models of beauty and grace. They are from your neighborhood, I
believe?"
"Yes; I have a calling acquaintance with Mrs.
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